Vandals Cause Flooding At VC's House

Students of Commonwealth Hall, University of Ghana last Friday invaded the residence of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kwadwo Asenso-Okyere and vandalised his water tank, leading to flooding in his compound.

The students, numbering about 500 and carrying empty buckets amid chanting of war and profane songs, had gone to the VC's lodge to present a petition to the VC on the lack of water in the hall since the beginning of this semester about a month ago. But once there, they got other ideas and declared an "operation fetch and pour" over the water in the polytank belonging to the Vice Chancellor. Some of the water was fetched and poured on the ground.

As if that was not enough, the Vandals, as Commonwealth Hall students are popularly known, went ahead to puncture the polytank leaving a gaping hole for the water to gush out leaving the compound flooded. The Vandals told The Weekend Heritage that the essence of their action was to let the VC, himself an ex-Vandals feel how it is "like when one does not have water to live on".

Attempts, by the security guard at post, Mr. Peter Pometsey, to calm the enraged students from causing further damage, was met with fierce resistance as the Vandals threatened to vent their spleen on him if he dared interfere with their mission there. The hapless security man had no alternative but to call for reinforcement from the head of security section who quickly responded with more security personnels.

An orange tree at the VC's residence also had its fair share of the students' wrath as all of its fruits were plucked by the students, ostensibly to replenish their lost energy as a result of the vigorous march to the place.

It was heart-rending to see seven year-old Nana Yaa, apparently traumatised by the behaviour of the students, pestering her mother for them to seek refuge elsewhere. All along the relatives of the Vice Chancellor had locked up themselves in their various rooms.

The students were, however, 'vindicated" when the next day they found water running in their taps which had hitherto not felt water for several days. Said one elated student to The Heritage: "you see the water is flowing. The only language our leaders understand is demonstration".