KNUST Finally Gets New Governing Council... University Reopens Nov 16

By Kingsley E. Hope

Kumasi — All is set for the reopening of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), on Friday, November 16, 2018, following the inauguration of a new governing council of the university yesterday.

The Chancellor of the University, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has set up of a five-member committee to conduct a full and transparent enquiry that would probe the circumstances that led to the disturbances at the university and eventually led to the closure of the university.

He told the council that, anybody or group including the Vice Chancellor, Professor Obiri Danso, who had issues concerning the circumstances leading to the disturbances, should be given fair hearing by the committee and every accusation must be proven.

According to the Asantehene, he was determined to bring normalcy to the university but indicated that, neither students nor alumni or any other group would be allowed to dictate to management in a manner that would undermine the integrity of the university's academic freedom.

The Chancellor of the university was speaking after the swearing in by the Minister of Education, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, of the 15-member council led by Nana Effah Apenteng, Paramount Chief of Bompata in Ashanti, as the chairman.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu said the occasion was a day of mixed emotions as nothing could diminish the shame that the riot on October 22, 2018 brought to the institution and the country as a whole.

He noted that, "the constitution of the university council marked the first step in what was going to be a challenging journey towards the restoration of normal academic life at the university."

Academic work is expected to begin on Monday, November 19, 2018 and the work of the 15-member governing council would also commence during the same period.

Nana Effah Apenteng, who spoke on behalf of the council, entreated all members to rise above all personal interests and work as a team for the betterment of the university and the development of the country.

He trusted that all members would work together and ensure that, the confidence reposed in them would be justified through their work as they were assured of the total support of the Asantehene.

The constituted council which included the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Danso was made up of four new representatives from the government, one new member from Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools, and another new member from the National Council for Tertiary Education.

Meanwhile, the representatives of the University Teachers Association, Tertiary Workers Association and other union bodies on the council remain unchanged.

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