This article was written on Saturday, 20th of October, 2018, two days before the infamous knust impasse. A year on, any lessons learnt? What happened to the three-member independent committee set up to probe last year’s student disturbances? Is the report still not ready to effect the recommendations? Are there sections within the report that speaks to the mixed hall saga? Well, after 365 days, a progress report could have told the story better.
BRUTALITY and OPPRESSION, THE NEW FACE OF KNUST?
The recent brutalities that have been on the upsurge in KNUST have caused many to wonder if we were returning to the days where there seem to be lawlessness and abuse of power.
Read Also: KNUST SRC: KNUST GOES RED IN SOLIDARITY WITH BRUTALIZED STUDENTS
KNUST has been through tense moments, stiff opposition from students and alumni alike against the infamous conversion of Conti-Katanga into mixed-sex halls have degenerated into fierce “rivalry”, taken to a different tone, students brutality amidst all sort of restrictions.
Read Also: KNUST: “No Lectures”, SRC Declares Demo over Students Brutality
As if this is not enough to add to the woes of students who live by tradition, is the incessant brutalities recorded now and then.
Meanwhile, the KNUST SRC in joint forces with the SRC Parliamentary Council and all Student leaders would embark on a demonstration on Monday, the 22nd October 2018. No lectures tomorrow, the press statement reads.
Read Also: KNUST alumni to join students in tomorrow’s demonstration
BACKGROUND
Unknown to many was the fact that three rooms at the University Hall, ‘Katanga’ got burnt, as to why this happened, investigations have not proven yet. Sources close to Hypercitigh.com revealed that University authorities intend to keep the matter from the eyes of the public as such affected rooms have been covered
An upfront to this mishap was the ban of ‘morale’ sessions at University Hall, consequently, a ‘fellow’ died on Friday 19th October. The deceased is said to be a final year statistics student, identified as Dennis.
Read Also: KNUST mourns a Level 400 student who died after falling off a moving car.
Read Also: students’ arrest: Angry parents storm KNUST police station to demand the release of their wards
Katangees in solidarity kept to a vigil to mourn the death of a staunch fellow when the uneventful occurred to them. Eyewitnesses recount that they were at the forecourt of the hall for the usual Friday ‘morale’ when two internal security officers attempted to stop the morale, overwhelmed by the number of students called for backup. The officers that joined in the array could not exhibit professionalism. They were reckless, brutal, and inhumane, a student who observed from a distance recounted.
Some students were able to flee from the scene, eleven others were arrested and sent to the KNUST police station. It is reported that two students were heavily victimized, sustaining several injuries. Sources close to KNUST hospital told Hypercitigh.com that one of the victimized students had sustained head injuries.
Reports indicate that, this, which is not the first, continues to repeat itself every time security officers mandated to protect lives and properties attempted to stop any student engagement.
More on #knustdemoAt1: KNUST: “No Lectures”, SRC Declares Demo over Students Brutality
#knustdemoAt1: Breaking News: Police deployed to KNUST amid student unrest
#knustdemoAt1: KNUST: Properties are being set on fire amidst today’s demonstration
#knustdemoAt1: Photos: KNUST Administration before & After Students demonstration
#knustdemoAt1: KNUST campus declared a security zone; students barred from demonstrating
#knustdemoAt1: Conversion of Unity and Katanga Not Cause of Recent KNUST Demo – MoE
Source: Hypercitigh.com
