Free JCR Students

PRESS RELEASE FREE THE JCR EXECUTIVES OF UNITY AND UNIVERSITY (Katanga) HALL NOW!!

Indeed we are impressed about the reopening of UDS and the fact that discussions are underway to restore that studentship of the SRC President and his Secretary. We thank all students’ group who supported the course for the reopening of UDS especially NUGS.

However, we the concerned students of Ghana from the University of Ghana wish to express our disquiet about what we have described as unapocryphal injustice in the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. We the students of the above mentioned group believe that injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere and for that matter if our colleagues in KNUST are bedeviled with such an obnoxious decision of rustication from their Vice Chancellor there is a need for us to offer an unflinching solidarity to them.

Indeed, the Vice Chancellor of KNUST has exhibited the highest level of intellectual dishonesty for taking such a decision under the guise of JCR executives not being able to control their colleagues during the procession on 11th October, 2008 on KNUST campus, which led to a clash between the students of Unity hall (CONTI) and University hall (Katanga).

As matter of fact, this VC was very much aware of the possible occurrence of such a clash on the campus, since there has been a historical animosity between these halls of residence. In spite of this awareness he went on to approve such a clearly incident threatened procession, amidst suggestion from student leaders that it was rather safe to use the street behind Katanga than the main avenue in front of Katanga.

We will like to place it on record that, the Hall Master of University hall at a meeting prior to the procession even stated categorically that he cannot guarantee the peaceful execution of the procession, to which the JCR President of Katanga added and said it will even be impossible to control his gentlemen in the case of a clash. Amidst all these suggestions, the VC approved that route for the procession through the streets of Katanga, promising to provide security to escort them to and fro. However, the security could not even stand to witness the clash.

It is just common place, that if there has been a clash at such a procession, the VC be held responsible. It is even on record that the Hall Master and Senior Tutor of Unity Hall was with them when the clash occurred, hence if any body will be punished for inability to control the students as stated as the grounds for the rustication, who do you think should face the punishment? Is it not logical that, the VC and the hall authorities be held individually and severally responsible for such an occurrence?

We the CSG, wish to call for the immediate withdrawal of all the sanctions leveled against the JCR executives of the halls of residence involved. Indeed extremism in the pursuit of liberty and justice is no vice, hence if the sanctions against the students are not dropped we cannot guarantee any harmony on the campus.

We wish to also as matter urgency call on the Vice Chancellor to resign with immediate effect to help maintain calm and peaceful academic livelihood on KNUST campus.

To the students we express our absolute solidarity in thick and thin, action and reaction to ensure that such injustice is exude from our intellectual society. We recognize the efforts of the Chancellor to rescue the situation; however reducing a two semester’s rustication to one semester is not the way out. In any case the people in question have only one semester left in the University.

We also as a matter of importance, wish to state that it is even more illegal, unacceptable and capricious for the university management to say that it has dissolved all JCR executive bodies of the halls involved.

Finally, we encourage all the students of KNUST to join the fight against this unwarranted, misguided, illegal and absolutely useless decision. These imperialistic tendencies in our various Universities must halt now! Note that, this course is not a fight for any individual, but it is a course to restore freedom and justice in this country and for that matter a fight for the nation. ALUTA CONTINUA VICTORIA ASCERTA!!!!!!!!

Signed: OTOKUNOR BOAMAH PETER Chief Spokesperson, CSG (Former JCR President, Commonwealth hall, UG) 0276902003 csggh@yahoo.com

Cc: All Media houses