The Commonwealth Hall Master and Senior Tutor have been suspended by the University of Ghana Council because of their passivity in the fight between Mensah Sarbah Hall and Commonwealth Hall students.
“The Commonwealth Hall’s Hall Master and Senior Tutor have not shown sufficient willingness or competence to hold students in the hall accountable for their behaviour in the recent violent conflicts,” says a student.
The Council advised that “these officers should, in the meantime, be relieved of their positions while management works with the security services to examine the conflicts and works to identify long-term solutions to the tensions between students of the two halls.”
The decisions were made in accordance with Sections 16 (2) and 22 (1a) of the University of Ghana Act, 2010, Act 806, and Section 9 I of the University’s statutes, which required the University Council to protect the University’s reputation and values, according to a statement published on the university’s website and signed by Mrs Emelia Agyei-Mensah, Registrar.
According to the statement, Commonwealth Hall would be subject to additional fees to cover the cost of property damage caused by recent skirmishes near Mensah Sarbah Hall.
The statement read, “For their actions and inaction leading up to and during the disturbances, the Junior Common Room Presidents of Commonwealth and Mensah Sarbah Halls should be submitted to the Disciplinary Committee for Junior Members.”
The statement suggested that the management of the two impacted halls is held responsible for their acts and inactions in the ongoing riots and that the makeup of Commonwealth and Mensah Sarbah Halls be reconsidered.
“For the remainder of the 2021–2022 academic year, no student-organized events should occur without the Dean of Student Affairs’ express consent. Students who are given spots in residence halls should be required to sign undertakings to be of good behaviour,” the document continued.
According to the statement, the Vice-Chancellor should select important officers in all halls of residence based on proposals from the halls in a manner similar to how heads of department were recruited in order to guarantee the responsibility of hall officials to the University authorities.
It recommended including a consistent election or appointment process for hall leaders in the University’s ongoing statute amendments.
According to the statement, the administration of the university was putting the council’s resolutions into action and helping the Ghana Police Service find the offenders via their investigations.
It further stated that the Police were working with university administrators to prevent more unrest on the campus of the university as the steps were being implemented.
The administration of the university told the community that it will keep putting policies in place to guarantee that academic work and other activities go off without a hitch.
He said that a website had been set up where people could submit reports that would assist in identifying and prosecuting those responsible for the conflicts, including tips, names, documents, photos, and videos.
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