Labour Unions Of KNUST Suspend Strike Action

Labour Unions at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), have called off their strike, following the constitution of a new governing council today, [Tuesday].

The unions, comprising the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA), the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), and the Teachers and Education Workers Union (TEWU), as well as members of the Senior Staff Association, had earlier embarked on a strike to protest the dissolution of the school's governing council.

The lecturers and university administrators had maintained that the government failed to follow the due procedure in trying to resolve the impasse between the University management and the students.

The aggrieved parties have now called off their strike, as TEWU and UTAG were allowed to maintain their members on the new KNUST governing Council.

The unions, while announcing the call-off in a statement, also expressed their gratitude to all stakeholders who were involved in the resolution process.

“We thank government in particular, for the show of levelheadedness and enormous magnanimity in the resolution of the impasse which has led to the eventual restoration of the KNUST Council, and also paved the way for immediate resumption of normal academic work at the University.”

“We also wish to profusely thank the Asantehene, Chancellor of the University, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, for his wise counsel and great interventions which have led to the resolution of the impasse and shortened the period of uncertainty and trepidation. We also take the opportunity to announce that all services suspended on the campus of KNUST are restored with immediate effect. We wholeheartedly welcome all students back to campus.”

Members of New Council

Nana Effah Apenteng, a retired diplomat, and Omanhene of Bompata traditional Area, and Hilda Hagar Ampadu, a public health specialist, were members of the interim council set up by the government, and they have been maintained on the new council.

Also sworn in were Stephen Anoff Amoaning-Yankson, President of the Ghana Institute of Engineers, Alex Quaynor, a private legal practitioner, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah and Alhaji Yakub A.B. Abubakar.

The other members of the council are Kelvin Sah, Eunice Amoako, Isaac Dadzie, Alhaji Ahmed Yakub, Prof Joshua Agyarkwa, Prof Eric Forkuo, Charles Arthur, Nimo Baffour, Prof Kwasi Obiri-Danso, Rita Akosua Dickson.

The University Council is made of 15 members, four of which are government representatives.

A representative from the government side chairs the council.

KNUST to reopen on Friday

The school is expected to be reopened on Friday, 16th November, 2018.

This was announced by the KNUST University Relations Officer, Kwame Yeboah on Tuesday afternoon, after the school's new Governing Council was constituted and new members sworn in.

“After taking a lot of things into consideration, the students are supposed to return on Friday and on Monday, academic work begins,” he told the press.

The previous KNUST governing council was dissolved after management-student tensions culminated in violent protests and the school was shut down.

Background
The arrest of ten students and one alumnus of the school compelled the Students Representative Council (SRC) to mobilize for the protest.

The students were arrested for a holding vigil on campus without permission, according to the school authorities.

One other student who was allegedly mistreated by the internal security was hospitalized at the KNUST hospital.

The Executive Council of the SRC said the demonstration was needed to convey students' frustration over disrespect and oppression by the school. The arrests came after the KNUST management served notice that it had suspended the organisation of vigils (morales) in the school.

The management said this was because of “several negative issues encountered recently concerning morales in the hall.”

Some of the protesters called for the removal of the Vice-Chancellor.

The SRC said the actions of the campus security and the police officers were a “gross deviation” because the two agencies were instead to protect them.

The Council also promised students that it would ensure the security officers who allegedly beat up students are held accountable while urging students to remain calm.

The Police arrested 20 students following the incident, who were later released. A day later, the school was closed down indefinitely.