KNUST: President's intervention timely – Kojo Oppong

The Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has dismissed claims that of president Akuffo-Addo’s intervention in the brouhaha at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology was a hasty one.

Rather, he described the intervention as one that was meant to restore public confidence in the KNUST and prevent an escalation of any form.

In an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen Tuesday, the minister said while the university may be autonomous, the president is the one in charge of national security and has a right to intervene in your security issues.

Mr. Nkrumah described the peaceful protest on the campus of KNUST which turned violent as no exception to all other national security issues which demand the president’s attention.

Background

Government dissolved the Governing Council and put in place a seven-member IMC to run the affairs of the university that was shut down indefinitely as a result of the violent protest held last week Monday.

This followed briefings and recommendations made by the Minister for Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku-Prempeh and his high-powered delegation, which included the Minister for National Security, Albert Kan Dapaah and the Minister-designate for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, after a fact-finding visit.

The IMC, which was chaired by Nana Effah Apenteng, the Paramount Chief of Bompata Traditional Area, has Prof Rita Akosua Dickson, Dr Edward Baffoe-Bonnie, KNUST Pro-Vice Chancellor, Hilda Haggar Ampadu, Prof Joshua Ayarkwa, Abena Antwi and Kelvin Sah as members.

The name of the beleaguered Vice-Chancellor (VC) of KNUST, Prof. Obiri-Danso, was conspicuously missing from the seven-member committee which has the mandate to restore normalcy to the school in three months’ time.

President of the KNUST Local Chapter of UTAG, Prof Eric K. Forkuo, said they considered the move by government as an affront to lecturers who are also critical stakeholders in the administration of university education.

He disclosed that the UTAG members do not recognize the IMC put in place to resolve the current impasse at the school.

With this development, the tenure of the IMC may end this week, as a new council is expected to be put in place by Friday under the auspices of Otumfuo Osei Tutu, who has been mandated by government to amicably settle the impasse.



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