The Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr Clement Apaak, has called on parliament and Ghanaians to impress upon the University of Ghana to do the needful by respecting the laws of the land.

According to him, the Management of the university has refused to reinstate students who resided in the Commonwealth Hall as ordered by the Court.

He described the action as unacceptable, unlawful adding that it must not be tolerated.

“Mr. Speaker, we the alumni of Commonwealth Hall, known popularly as OLD VANDALS in this Parliament of Ghana, back calls by associations and individuals who have called on the Management of the University of Ghana to heed the decision of the Court, and to ensure that continuing students who resided in the Commonwealth Hall are reinstated to provide them the peace of mind for their academic activities pending the final determination of the case.

“The continuous refusal by the Management of the University of Ghana to reinstate the affected students as ordered by the Court is unacceptable, unlawful and must not be countenanced. Mr. Speaker, we call on you, and this august house, to join us and well-meaning Ghanaians to impress upon the University of Ghana to do the needful by respecting the laws of the land,” he said on the floor of the house.

A decision by the Council of the University of Ghana to eject all continuing students from two halls of residence; Mensah Sarbah Hall and Commonwealth Hall has resulted in a tussle between the management of the school on one hand and students as well as some old students on another hand.

On the night of August 6, 2022, students of the Commonwealth Hall and Mensah Sarbah Hall engaged in a series of clashes that resulted in some injuries and the destruction of several properties.

In a statement dated August 6, 2022, the management said it had commenced efforts to identify the perpetrators while working to ensure the peace and stability on all the campuses of the university.

The management would later announce a ban on the holding of events and the gathering of students as a measure to curb the violence.

Following the decision by the Management of the university to remove all continuing students who resided in the Commonwealth Hall and to replace same with freshers and graduate students, some students sought redress in Court.

The High Court, on January 6 2023, granted an ex parte application for an interlocutory injunction to the students and ordered the University of Ghana and its officers, assigns, privies, agents, workmen and all persons working under its instructions to refrain from implementing the decision of the Respondent’s Residence Board taken at its meeting held on 26th October 2022, in respect of the residential policy affecting all continuing students of the Commonwealth Hall for 10 days.

Since the granting of this order, the Management of the University of Ghana have refused to act in accordance with the dictates of the order.

YNA/DA