KNUST
THE INTERIM Council constituted by government to temporarily manage the affairs of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), following students’ riots, may handover the University to a new council earlier than the three months deadline.
Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, made this known to journalists on Monday, November 5, 2018, in Accra, saying that “though the Interim Council was given up to three months, government’s subsequent assessment is that it can hand over the University and all emergency measures taken to a new council earlier than expected, if one is agreed upon and inaugurated as soon as possible.”
The outbreak of violence which resulted in the destruction of properties belonging to the University, some private individuals and lecturers following students demonstration on October 22 this year, compelled government to intervene and temporarily shut-down the University.
But the Minister said “Government remains committed to have the KNUST reopened by Thursday November 8, 2018.”
According to him, government has presented its new members for the KNUST Council and that two other groups namely the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) and Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS).
He added that “our expectation is that once the office of the Chancellor receives the full complement of names, the office will refer them to the appointing Authority, the President, for the next steps. Next steps are Council of State approval and final inauguration by the appointing Authority.
Continuing, he said, “regrettably, we missed the Friday November 1 timeline but we are hopeful that all parties will cooperate so we can inaugurate a new council and hand over all interim and emergency measures to it.”
The Minister explained that “I can confirm to you that government’s position on the membership of the new council is that individuals who sat on the Old Council ought not to be on the New Council.”
That, he said, was because “the Old Council is a party to the impasse. Just as the actions of students, student leaders and school management will be subject of the full investigation when the University is reopened, so will the actions and inactions of the Old Council be a subject of that investigation.”He added that “the specific persons who constituted that council cannot therefore preside over the matters in which their own decisions and conduct will be a subject.”
In the matter of group seats on the Council, the KNUST act requires representatives from groups but without specification.
The Minister said “Government is not interested in deciding which specific individuals they nominate. The principle of specific persons who will end up becoming judges in their own cause is what government disagrees with.”
BY Melvin Tarlue