General News of Wednesday, 17 August 2022
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2022-08-17Sarbah - Commonwealth clash: Sanctions accounting for heightened tension on campus - Apaak
Commonwealth residents protested against managements decision to suspend their hall leadership
Ranking Member on Parliament’s Education Committee, Dr. Clement Apaak, has blamed the management of the University of Ghana for the uneasy tension on campus in recent weeks following a clash between Commonwealth and Mensah Sarbah Hall residents.
In a Twitter post, the legislator bemoaned the sanctions meted out to the senior tutor and hall master of Commonwealth Hall.
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According to him, the decision by the management of the university to relieve the duo of their respective positions is ‘high handed.’
The Builsa South MP wondered if the suspension of the two will aid in investigations, adding that the action of the university has rather heightened tensions on campus.
“The decision by UG to suspend the Senior Tutor and Hall Master of Commonwealth Hall is high handed. How would their suspension enhance any investigation? This action, coupled with the presence of the police in the Hall has further heightened tension. This is not the way to go,” he tweeted.
Commonwealth and Mensah Sarbah Hall residents clashed on the evening and early hours of Friday, August 5 and Saturday, August 6, 2022.
The recent clash between the rival halls led to the destruction of several properties including the burning of a car and the bust of John Mensah Sarbah taken away.
Since the clash, the management has banned all student gatherings and processions outside the precincts of all halls until further notice.
It has relieved the hall master and senior tutor of Commonwealth Hall of their positions for failing to cooperate with investigations into the matter.
The hall has also been surcharged with the cost of damage to Mensah Sarbah hall.
“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 a statement by the management read.
Meanwhile, agitated residents of Commonwealth Hall clad in red on August 16, protested the decision by management to suspend their hall master and senior tutor.
The situation led to heavy deployment of security personnel to the campus to maintain law and order and to also forestall any clash.
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