Prof. Obiri Danso
The ability of a manager to respond to situations without breaking bones is an important requirement for such positions. In tertiary institutions this is even more applicable.
Some finesse, diplomacy and a certain degree of détente will obviate the kind of nasty consequence we were treated to in the past few days.
The Vice Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi has made unsavoury headlines in the past few days because of his indiscretion under the circumstances. The sad development has regrettably found space in some international news networks and therefore cast a long shadow over our response to crisis: in the case of the subject under review, the impression is anything but satisfactory.
The VC’s response to the agitations of the students was bereft of the quality of finesse required under the circumstances, hence the harsh consequences.
Now that the students have been sent home and the cost of the poor response is being tabulated, it is time to deny the VC a good impression. It is indeed difficult to tell how he can regain control of the institution now that he has broken the bridge spanning his office and the students’ halls.
At the time of composing this commentary, the Education, National Security Ministers and others were engaged in a meeting with the Vice Chancellor. We can bet the engagement was about how to address what the Vice Chancellor’s indiscretion has unleashed on the public space.
Any consequence with national security implication such as witnessed at the KNUST should not be treated lightly. The authorities at this tertiary institution led by the VC should have had a premonition of what eventually befell them and worked towards obviating it.
Such actions would always beget violence. We must be quick to add though that the violence was totally uncalled for and whoever unleashed it should be hunted and dealt with according to law.
Students who became destructive should understand that such unbecoming conduct is costly and smacks of indiscipline. This should not be acceptable in any disciplined society such as ours. Even as we query the VC and flay his handling of affairs, the destructive traits showed by some students should not be entertained under any circumstance.
We are calling for the establishment of a commission of enquiry to determine what triggered the breach of law and order and whether it could have been obviated. Answers to these queries would prime school authorities to avoid such pitfalls in future.
The hall gender conversion, in our estimation, should be stopped forthwith especially if it is the remote cause of what happened.
Allowing the status quo adds to the flavour of campus life especially the halls. If for any reason in the estimation of the authorities, alterations are necessary this should be done in a better way, the current approach having failed and woefully.
The VC should share the blame for what happened with those behind the violence which ensued since after all the security personnel on campus could not have showed the violent conduct they unleashed without his authorization.