KNUST closed down indefinitely; curfew imposed after violent protest

Information reaching Globalskyafricaonline indicates that the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science on Technology has been closed indefinitely.

The Regional Security Council and university authorities have also imposed a 6pm to 6am curfew on the school starting today.

The students are expected to vacate the university premises latest by 12 noon Tuesday, October 23, 2018.

Only foreign students would be allowed on campus with heavy security presence.

Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah revealed this to the media Monday afternoon.

This decision comes after students destroyed several personal and school properties during a demonstration Monday morning.

Meanwhile, a delegation from the Ministry of Education, led by the Minister, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh will be meeting university authorities on Tuesday.

Background

The School’s security on Friday [October 19, 2018] pounced on unarmed students who were having a peaceful vigil at the forecourt of the hall in protest of management’s freeze on “morale”, a usual Friday night jamboree in all the halls at the school.

The University in a communique signed and posted both the Continental Hall and University Hall Management asked the student body to cease their usual ‘Friday Night Morale’ as the school has suspended the activity.

The notice read “Notice is hereby given that all forms of “morales” in and around the University Hall are suspended with immediate effect. This decision was taken in view of several negative issues encountered recently with respect to morales in the hall. Any person who flouts this directive shall receive the necessary sanction and response”.

A group of security men who were said to be acting based on orders from the authorities, allegedly manhandled students who reportedly flouted the rules and held a mini vigil and in the process one student sustained severe head injuries, bleeding profusely.

The injured student was immediately admitted to the KNUST Hospital for treatment on Friday evening, eyewitnesses disclosed to DAILY GUIDE on condition of anonymity.

Eleven (11) other students, including one former student of KNUST, who were said to be part of the demonstrators, were reportedly overpowered by the KNUST security men, who sent them to the Tech Police Station where they were caged.