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Tag: Commonwealth hall

  • Commonwealth Hall saga: UG files application to remove ‘Vandal’ Judge, have injunction quashed

    Commonwealth Hall saga: UG files application to remove ‘Vandal’ Judge, have injunction quashed

    Management of the University of Ghana (UG) has filed an application for an order of prohibition to restrain His Lordship Obiri Francis, a High Court Judge from hearing the substantive case on the eviction of continuing Commonwealth Hall students.

    According to the applicant, His Lordship Obiri Francis is affiliated with the Commonwealth Hall, thus the likelihood that he sides with the interested parties, who per the writ, are residents of the Hall.

    “The learned trial judge’s relationship with ‘Vandals’ of Commonwealth Hall of the University of Ghana and his conduct of the case so far suggests bias or a real likelihood of bias.”

     An affidavit in support of the applicant by Gordon Akanzuwine Awandare, UG’s Pro Vice Chancellor noted that Justice Obiri, when he was a student of the school, was officially attached to Akuafo Hall but was at all material times during his studentship in the University of Ghana, resident at Commonwealth and by definition a Vandal.

    He added that Justice Obiri was “the lead assistant of the then Chief Vandal, a very revered office of Vandals, by the alias Chief Korea.”

    Prof Awandare said this situation has the propensity to affect the nature of the proceeding for which reason he wants the Judge restrained from the case citing an instance from the February 9 hearing.

    “The decision not to consider the Application for leave to cross-examine Lawrence Edinam Egleh, the deponent of the Affidavit in Support of the Application for Injunction before considering and granting the application on the basis of the impugned affidavit,” a portion of the document read.

    “Moreso, when the Applicant had prayed the Court to abridge time or even take the application orally in keeping with the decisions of this Court. The Applicant did not have any other avenue to make the Application as the Application for injunction was not formally moved so that the Applicant would have made an application to cross-examine the deponent.“

    This comes after an Accra High Court order back in January 2023 for the University of Ghana management to refrain from revoking the residential status of continuing students in both Commonwealth and Mensah Sarbah halls.

    This decision of the court was issued after some disgruntled students filed an interlocutory injunction on January 6, 2023.

    However, this fresh motion is seeking to stay the interlocutory injunction over the new claims of potential bias.

    The university’s administration issued an order intending to remove all continuing male students from the halls due to a violent altercation that had taken place between the two parties on August 15, 2022.

    According to UG’s management, they chose to implement the directive as a disciplinary step after fights between certain students from the two halls destroyed John Mensah Sarbah’s statue, which was located at the Mensah Sarbah hall.

    Per the administration’s announcement to the members of the university, starting from the 2022/23 academic year, “Level 100 and graduate students (Masters and PhD level) will be assigned to Mensah Sarbah and Commonwealth Halls.”

  • Parliament to summon UG management over refusal to retain continuing Commonwealth Hall students

    Parliament to summon UG management over refusal to retain continuing Commonwealth Hall students

    Authorities of the University of Ghana have been referred to Parliament’s Education Committee by the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu for failing to abide to a High Court directive.

    According to him, the Committee should probe the reason behind the University’s intransigence.

    “I would refer this statement to the Committee of Education and urge them to engage the University and to report back to us why the University authorities, headed by the immediate past Chief Justice – she is the Chairman of the University Council, so we expect that she will ensure that the sanctity of the court order is respected,” he said.

    It would be recalled that the University of Ghana was directed by an Accra High Court to halt its residential policy which removed continuing Commonwealth Hall students from the Hall.

    The University is yet to comply with the directive.

    However, the MP for Builsa South, delivering a statement on the floor, criticised the University for failing to adhere to the court order.

    According to him, the continuous refusal of the Management of the University of Ghana to reinstate the affected students, as ordered by the court, is unacceptable and unlawful.

    “Mr Speaker, we call on you and this august House and all well-meaning Ghanaians to join us to impress upon the University of Ghana to do the needful by respecting the laws of the land,” he said.

    Also, a bipartisan group of MPs slammed the University’s reluctance to obey the order of the court.

    They are; Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman Manu, Dormaa East MP, Paul Twum Barima, MP for Salaga South, Zuwera Ibrahimah and Bole Bamboi MP Yusif Sulemana.

    According to them, the House cannot allow the University to flout a court order.

    “It is a very serious matter. Disobeying a court order with impunity as a citizen of this country. The University doesn’t belong to individuals and I am surprised why a whole institution would be allowed to impugn on the dignity of court in our country,” Mr. Agyeman Manu said.

    They added that the disregard for the court ruling is sad.

    According to them, the hall has produced very important personalities who are contributing to the development of the nation, therefore the hall should not be toyed with.

    It was on the back of this debates that the Speaker referred the issue to Parliament’s Education Committee to be investigated.

  • Commonwealth hall saga: Do the right thing; reinstate students – Clement Apaak tells UG

    Commonwealth hall saga: Do the right thing; reinstate students – Clement Apaak tells UG

    The Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr Clement Apaak, has asked the management of the University of Ghana to reinstate students of the Commonwealth who were evicted from the hostel.

    He 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.

  • University of Ghana implements extensive security measures to maintain order on campus

    University of Ghana implements extensive security measures to maintain order on campus

    Management of the University of Ghana has reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing regulations that will keep the institution secure and comfortable for all students.

    The University has put in place comprehensive measures such as the installation of CCTVs to offers apprehend anyone who wants to flout the directive of the University.

    At a news conference to update the media on newly approved fees and the arrest of 18 persons who forcibly entered the University and attacked the University Security, the Registrar, Emelia Agyei-Mensah, said the new arrangement which offers residential facilities to level 100 students culminating into full in-out-out Policy by 2025/2026 academic year, has led to a number of court cases.

    She said the University will be guided by the legal team to ensure the right thing is done.

    Pro Vice-Chancellor, of Academic and Student Affairs, Prof. Gordon Awandare, said accommodation of students has impacted the University for many years.

    He is however optimistic the new approach to accommodation will help spread out the students and curb vandalism.

    Regarding the adjustment in Academic Facility User fees for the 2022/2023 academic year, Prof Awandare, maintained that fees charged are not illegal as being purported by a section of the public.

    He advised those who have challenges in settling their fees to contact the Students Financial Aid Office for assistance.

  • Old Vandal MPs criticise UG’s new residential policy

    Old Vandal MPs criticise UG’s new residential policy

    At a news conference that was organized by both political parties in Accra, members of parliament from the Old Vandals Association criticized the University of Ghana’s administration for trying to sabotage Commonwealth Hall’s culture and heritage.

    Builsa South MP, Clement Apak addressed the media in Parliament today and used the opportunity to accuse the university of attempting to be a law onto itself.

    “We are cautioning the police to be very circumspect in what they do about the impasse between Commonwealth Hall and the university. We believe and hope that the impasse can be resolved amicably, but in the meantime, we expect the university to respect the rules of the land.”

    “As alumni of Commonwealth Hall from both sides of the house, we are displeased with how the University of Ghana has gone about things. We fail to understand why the university is failing to respect the law.”

    The University revoked the tenancy of continuing students from the two halls as a punitive measure after clashes between some students of the two halls led to the destruction of the bust of John Mensah Sarbah.

    According to the university, all continuing students of the Commonwealth Hall – an all-male hall – and continuing male students of Mensah Sarbah Hall will not return to their halls nor to any of the traditional halls.

    But the students expressed their displeasure about the move insisting that the decision is ill-intended and poses financial challenges to them as the new halls offered are extremely expensive.

  • We have cooperated with court’s order on new residence directives – UG defends

    We have cooperated with court’s order on new residence directives – UG defends

    Authorities at University of Ghana, Legon has defended itself against claims that it disregarded a court order to stop the implementation of its new residential policy for some campus residence halls.

    The university, in a press statement, insisted that though it did not second the injunction secured over the modality in Mensah Sarbah Hall and Commonwealth Hall, it complied.

    This follows police clashes with students on February 14, during a protest where some affected former residents of the Commonwealth Hall lamented the management’s lack of response to the court ruling.

    The development led to the arrest of some 18 persons by the Ghana Police Service, some of whom the University says are not students.

    In the statement dated February 16, the Registrar, Emelia Agyei-Mensah explained that “in spite of the difficulty in comprehending the ex parte order, as it related to a decision that did not exist, upon receipt of the order, the University immediately stopped further allocation of rooms at Commonwealth Hall out of the abundance of caution.”

    The university clarified that it released the “second order of the Court by the same judge was obtained on February 9, 2023, and served on the University on February 14, 2023, the same day that the illegal
    procession and breach of peace by the group took place.”

    We complied with court injunction on new residence directives - UG insists

    The press release also reminded students of the institution’s regulations and advised that appropriate channels are explored in seeking redress devoid of violence.

    “Any student who attempts to disrupt the peace on campus will be dealt with according to the laws and regulations of the university,” it added.

    Meanwhile, the management also clarified that there is no ‘residential board’ in place orchestrating any policy regarding students’ residency on campus.

    Rather, the administration indicated that the decision to relocate continuing students from Mensah Sarbah and Commonwealth halls to UGEL halls was made in accordance with University Council directives.

    It indicated that “On January 6, 2023, the University received an ex parte order restraining the University from among others, implementing a decision of the University on a residence policy dated October 26, 2022. The University wishes to reiterate that it had not implemented a ‘residential policy decision’ dated October 26, 2022.

    We complied with court injunction on new residence directives - UG insists

    The statement further mentioned that there is no ‘Residence Board’ as stipulated in the accusations purported to be supervising room allocations.

    “The second order was cast in similar language as the first and referred to a particular decision of the University’s ‘Residence Board’ made at a meeting of October 26, 2022. Again, the University has explained that it has not implemented a decision of the ‘Residence Board’ on residency of students dated October 26, 2022.”

    It reiterated that the University Council is the body set up by law to among others to ‘do or provide for any act or thing in relation to the University which the Council considers necessary or expedient in its capacity as the governing body of the University.’

    We complied with court injunction on new residence directives - UG insists

    Notwithstanding the admission, it was also pointed out that the administration of the university granted all students who had been genuinely affected by the relocation the opportunity to register for housing in the UGEL halls.

    “By the time the order was made, almost ninety percent (90%) of the said students had accepted residency in the re-assigned halls while about eighty (80%) of the students have actually paid and taken up residence in the re-assigned halls. Financial support was available for students who genuinely had difficulty in paying the residential fees charged for the UGEL Halls,” excerpts of the release statement indicated.

  • Police and UG students clash at Commonwealth Hall

    Police and UG students clash at Commonwealth Hall

    On Tuesday, University of Ghana students clashed with some heavily armed police officers outside Commonwealth Hall.

    The security personnel at the forecourt of the Commonwealth Hall prevented aggrieved former occupants as they tried to make entry into the hall.

    After stiff resistance from the police, the students claimed they have secured an interlocutory injunction to reside in the hall.

    The latest stand-off comes on the back of the university management’s new residential policy indicating that continuing students are supposed to occupy other halls apart from the Commonwealth and Mensah Sarbah halls to make way for level 100 and graduate students.

    In an interview with Citi News, a member of the Academic Communication Team of the university, Professor Ransford Gyampo described the attitude of the students as lawless and urged them to use the appropriate channels to meet their grievances since the matter is still in court.

    “It is this kind of lawlessness that vindicates the position that position the university has taken. There is a ban on processions on campus…some groups feel they don’t like the decision that the University has taken, and so they have taken the university to court.

    “Before the substance of the matter is heard, they ask for an injunction. Merely asking for an injunction or even if a court grants an injunction, does not preclude those who have been injuncted from asking for a stay of execution and appealing against the decision. So it is lawless for someone to say that the court has granted an injuncted, so we are going to enforce the injunction ourselves.”

  • UG management shifting incompetence on students over accommodation policy – Old vandals

    UG management shifting incompetence on students over accommodation policy – Old vandals

    The Mensah Sarbah and Commonwealth Halls’ new accomodation policy is allegedly discriminatory, according to the Old Vandal Association, who also claim that management is shifting responsibility.

    Aggrieved students of the University of Ghana on Friday, February 3, 2023 embarked on a demonstration on the streets of Accra against the new accommodation policy and increase in fees.

    They are demanding an immediate reversal of the new accommodation policy which prevents continuing students from residing in both the Mensah Sarbah and Commonwealth Halls.

    The students also want the government to direct the university to rescind its decision to increase fees more than the 15 percent directed by Parliament.

    Commenting on the development on Starr Today with Joshua Kodjo Mensah, a member of the Old Vandals Communication Team, Eugene Kweku Boadu said they will not allow the university authorities to truncate the education of the Ghanaian youth with the accommodation policy.

    According to him, they believe that education represents the best medium through which the nation can galvanize the intellectual talent base of the country and direct it to development.

    “The University has gone ahead to implement a policy that is discriminative against male continuing students with Mensah Sarbah Hall and Commonwealth Halls. They claim that there were some clashes and they have not been able to identify the people who were involved in the clash.”

    “Indeed some members of the University have spoken to the media and admitted that some of the persons so far identified were not even students. Now if you are undertaking an investigation and you have not concluded that investigation then what basis are you implementing a residential policy that you claim is punitive?” Mr. Boadu asked.

    He continued: “These clashes that seem to happen from time to time in the University campus actually points to low level of security on the campus. So if management has failed to provide adequate security on the University campus and it leads to a situation that clashes come up every now, then you are now shifting responsibility and shifting attention from your incompetence and mismanagement and rather seek to punish students for it.”

    He added that the new accommodation policy is threatening to end the education for a number of continuing students in the Mensah Sarbah and Commonwealth Halls.

    “They are moving students from the traditional halls which are very affordable and play a key role in the educational accessibility for people coming from humble backgrounds. It is cocoa farmers money, fishermen and farmers money that were used in building those traditional halls. These halls have for a long time provided financial support to students coming from poor backgrounds. You are seeking to remove all these people on very discriminatory and dubious grounds. And forcing them into hostels that are three or four times the price of the traditional halls.”

  • UG arrests imposter hired by students to pose as a stranded student

    UG arrests imposter hired by students to pose as a stranded student

    The security at the University of Ghana has detained a man who was pretending to be a stranded student.

    A statement from the university said the imposter confessed to the offence and said he was hired by some students to pretend he was one of them.

    He said he resided at the Commonwealth Hall illegally in the last academic year.

    He had a fake student ID number.

    The imposter said he was put up to the ploy to court bad press for the school by sleeping in front of Commonwealth Hall.

    “It has come to the attention of the management of the University of Ghana that some unscrupulous individuals are influencing students of the university and other persons to pose as stranded former students of Commonwealth Hall”, the statement said.

    “One of such persons, being used to attract media attention, was arrested by University Security and has confessed to living in Commonwealth Hall illegally last academic year”.

    “He confirmed that he was lured to pose as a stranded student and slept in front of Commonwealth Hall during the night of Monday, January 16, 2023, to gain media attention. He has been handed over to the police for further investigations.”

    The university assured the students, their parents and the general public that all former legal residents of Commonwealth Hall and male students of Mensah Sarbah Hall have been duly assigned rooms at UGEL halls.

    The school said “measures have also been put in place to assist students with genuine financial difficulty paying the residential fees in the UGEL Halls. Academic work is proceeding peacefully, and the university assures all students that adequate measures have been put in place to ensure their safety and well-being”.

    “Students are encouraged to be alert and report to the appropriate authorities, individuals who seek to entice them to disturb the peace on the University campus”.

    “Any student involved in such acts will face appropriate disciplinary processes. We look forward to a fruitful and productive academic year.”

  • No student is stranded on campus – UG management debunks claims

    No student is stranded on campus – UG management debunks claims

    The University of Ghana’s management has refuted reports that some students, particularly former Commonwealth Hall tenants, have been left stranded on campus as a result of the implementation of the new housing policy.

    In a press statement, the management said that the purported students who claimed to be stranded on its campus are individuals who have been hired to attract media attention to paint the institution black to the populace.

    The statement furthered that one of such persons, being used to attract media attention has been arrested by the university security and upon interrogation, he has confirmed being lured to pose as a stranded student of the institution.

    “It has come to the attention of the Management of the University of Ghana that some unscrupulous individuals are influencing students of the University and other persons to pose as stranded former students of commonwealth Hall.

    “One of such persons, being used to attract media attention, was arrested by the university security and has confessed to living in commonwealth hall illegally last academic year. He confirmed that he was lured to pose as a stranded student and slept in front of the commonwealth hall during the night of Monday, January 16, 2023, to gain media attention. he has been handed over to the police for further investigations,” part of the statement read.

    The statement added that all former legal residents of Commonwealth Hall and male students of Mensah Sarbah Hall have been assigned rooms at UGEL halls on its campus.

    “Management assures parents and the general public that all legal residents of commonwealth hall and male students of Mensah Sarbah Hall Have been duly assigned rooms at UGEL halls. Measures have also been put in place to assist students who have genuine financial difficulty with paying the residential fees in the UGEL halls, “the Statements added.

    Read the full statement;

  • Stranded UG students turn Catholic Church washroom into sleeping place

    Stranded UG students turn Catholic Church washroom into sleeping place

    Some continuing students of the University of Ghana (UG), who have been left stranded by the university’s new residential policy, have turned the washroom of a Catholic Church into their sleeping place.

    A student who spoke to Citi News’ Kwaku Aduamah Ansah said they have been left with no choice but to sleep in the corridors of other halls and at other times in the washroom of a Catholic Church on campus.

    “We slept in the corridors of Legon Hall on Monday, but on Tuesday, we didn’t get any place to sleep, so we went through the bush and went to the Catholic Church and went to their washroom to sleep. That is where we slept,” a student said.

    On Monday, January 16, 2023, some students of Commonwealth hall were turned away by security personnel of the school from accessing their hall.

    The new directive to reassign continuing students of Commonwealth and Mensah Sarbah halls to other halls comes on the back of numerous clashes recorded between the respective halls in times past.

    Some of the stranded students called on the management of UG to listen to their plea, as the other arranged accommodation is way too high for them to afford.

    A level 300 student, Fred Oppong said, “I don’t have any relatives in Accra, so if I’m not being permitted to enter the hall, the best I can do is to loiter around till daybreak. I assumed the management will go by the court’s injunction, but the situation is different looking at the situation”.

    Background

    Per the new residential policy, continuing students are supposed to occupy other halls apart from the Commonwealth and Mensah Sarbah halls to make way for level 100 and graduate students.

    In the case of Mensah Sarbah hall, only the male continuing students will exit.

    Some students of the Commonwealth hall secured an interlocutory injunction on January 6, 2023, restraining the management of UG from implementing the new residential policy but some of the students accused the management of the university of turning a blind eye to the court order.

  • Heavy security at UG over new residential policy

    Heavy security at UG over new residential policy

    There is a heavy security presence at the University of Ghana on the first day of re-opening for students.

    Police Officers were deployed to prevent continuing students of the Commonwealth Hall from entering their previous Hall.

    This comes on the back of a new residential policy arrangement by the University which directs continuing students from Commonwealth and Mensah Sarbah Halls to seek accommodation outside the traditional halls.

    Some students of the Commonwealth hall secured an interlocutory injunction on January 6, 2023, restraining the management of the University from implementing the residential policy decision.

    But, on Thursday, January 12, 2023, some continuing students arrived on campus to see a heavy security presence, preventing them from accessing the various halls.

    Some students have secured an injunction against the policy, but the University authorities argued that it implemented the decision before the injunction was secured.

    Some of the students were stranded on campus with some not knowing where to place their luggage and others items.

    “We came here and the school’s security said they will not allow us to enter [the halls], and the police are assisting them to do that,” one of the frustrated continuing students said.

    The UG in a statement on January 11, 2023, indicated that about 83% of students who will not be allowed back into the halls have agreed to find accommodation outside.

    But another student furiously said, “That is not the truth, the reason is that the way they brought about the whole thing was like a threat. They said you accept or reject to become a non-resident. They pushed the whole thing to our throat, we were left with no choice. We want the whole world to know that the UG management is flouting the laws of Ghana. If it’s contempt of court it’s not for me to say, the court will prove itself in the coming days. The injunction says let the status quo remain, what management is doing so bad, the whole world and everybody must come against it”.

    The UG on January 11, 2023, in a statement, instructed its lawyers to vigorously fight the injunction, arguing that it was secured on inaccurate information by the supposed students.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Our lawyers will vigorously defend the University – UG on court injunction

    Our lawyers will vigorously defend the University – UG on court injunction

    The University of Ghana has notified its preparedness to defend a new residential policy being challenged by some Commonwealth Hall students who have filed a lawsuit against the university.

    The management said that the court’s order compelling the University to change its accommodation policy decision would be contested by its lawyers.

    In a press statement signed by the Registrar, the university argued that the order in which the injunction was obtained against the institution lacked the basis of inaccurate information. Therefore, management was ready to appeal the decision.

    “Management of the University of Ghana has received a copy of an order for an injunction issued by the High Court, Commercial Division, Accra. This order was secured by eight (8) persons purporting to be residents of Commonwealth Hall. The order is valid for ten (10) days only as it was made without prior notice to the University. The order seeks to restrain the University from implementing a residential policy decision affecting continuing students of Commonwealth Hall.

    “The University believes that the order was obtained on the basis of inaccurate information. Accordingly, the lawyers of the university have been instructed to vigorously defend the University in court,” part of the statement read.

    An Accra High Court recently placed an interlocutory injunction on the residential policy decision by the management of the University.

    This was after some frustrated students of the Commonwealth Hall on Friday, January 6, 2023, filed a lawsuit against the university for directing residing students to seek accommodation outside the campus.

    The university’s administration issued an order intending to remove all continuing male students from the halls due to a violent confrontation that occurred on August 15, 2022, between Commonwealth and a rival hall.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Residents of Commonwealth Hall protest suspension of Hall Master, Senior Tutor 

    Residents of the Commonwealth Hall at the University of Ghana are contesting management’s decision to suspend their Hall Master and Senior Tutor over the recent chaos between the hall and the Mensah Sarbah Hall.

    The peeved students, clad in red attires have converged at the forecourt of the all-male hall to demand the reinstatement of their Hall Master and Senior Tutor with immediate effect.

    In a press statement dated August 15, 2022, management explained that the suspended Hall officers failed to ensure that the offenders who reside in the hall were reported to the appropriate authorities.

    “The Hall Master and Senior Tutor of Commonwealth Hall have not exhibited sufficient willingness and ability to hold students of the hall accountable for their actions in the recent violent clashes. These officers should therefore, in the interim, be relieved of their duties while management works with the security services to investigate the clashes, and works towards finding lasting solutions to the tensions between students of the two halls,” part of the statement read.

    But Commonwealth Hall residents have described the decision taken by the University Council at its meeting on Thursday, 11th August 2022, as unfair.

    “We think the authorities took a cursory look at the issue. They did not pay much attention to it. For sanity to prevail and for peace to come back, the right thing must be done,” one of the residents told the media.

    The residents are also against the decision to review the composition of Commonwealth, an all male residency and Mensah Sarbah Halls, a residency housing both males and females.

    Officers of the Ghana Police Service have been deployed to the school to prevent any uprising.

    On August 5 and 6, 2022, students of Commonwealth and Mensah Sarbah Halls engaged in a fisticuff which led to the destruction of a private vehicle. The vehicle was set ablaze by one of the factions.

    It is currently unknown to management what may have prompted students to pelt stones and other objects at each other and in the process, vandalize properties belonging to the school.

    At the end of the meeting, the Council have also decided that “Commonwealth Hall is to be surcharged with the cost of damages to property in the vicinity of Mensah Sarbah Hall, in the recent clashes.”

    Also, Junior Common Room (JCR) Presidents of Commonwealth and Mensah Sarbah Halls will be referred to the Disciplinary Committee for Junior Members, for their actions and inactions leading to and after the riots.