Authorities at University of Ghana, Legon has defended itself against claims that it disregarded a court order to stop the implementation of its new residential policy for some campus residence halls.
The university, in a press statement, insisted that though it did not second the injunction secured over the modality in Mensah Sarbah Hall and Commonwealth Hall, it complied.
This follows police clashes with students on February 14, during a protest where some affected former residents of the Commonwealth Hall lamented the management’s lack of response to the court ruling.
The development led to the arrest of some 18 persons by the Ghana Police Service, some of whom the University says are not students.
In the statement dated February 16, the Registrar, Emelia Agyei-Mensah explained that “in spite of the difficulty in comprehending the ex parte order, as it related to a decision that did not exist, upon receipt of the order, the University immediately stopped further allocation of rooms at Commonwealth Hall out of the abundance of caution.”
The university clarified that it released the “second order of the Court by the same judge was obtained on February 9, 2023, and served on the University on February 14, 2023, the same day that the illegal
procession and breach of peace by the group took place.”
The press release also reminded students of the institution’s regulations and advised that appropriate channels are explored in seeking redress devoid of violence.
“Any student who attempts to disrupt the peace on campus will be dealt with according to the laws and regulations of the university,” it added.
Meanwhile, the management also clarified that there is no ‘residential board’ in place orchestrating any policy regarding students’ residency on campus.
Rather, the administration indicated that the decision to relocate continuing students from Mensah Sarbah and Commonwealth halls to UGEL halls was made in accordance with University Council directives.
It indicated that “On January 6, 2023, the University received an ex parte order restraining the University from among others, implementing a decision of the University on a residence policy dated October 26, 2022. The University wishes to reiterate that it had not implemented a ‘residential policy decision’ dated October 26, 2022.
The statement further mentioned that there is no ‘Residence Board’ as stipulated in the accusations purported to be supervising room allocations.
“The second order was cast in similar language as the first and referred to a particular decision of the University’s ‘Residence Board’ made at a meeting of October 26, 2022. Again, the University has explained that it has not implemented a decision of the ‘Residence Board’ on residency of students dated October 26, 2022.”
It reiterated that the University Council is the body set up by law to among others to ‘do or provide for any act or thing in relation to the University which the Council considers necessary or expedient in its capacity as the governing body of the University.’
Notwithstanding the admission, it was also pointed out that the administration of the university granted all students who had been genuinely affected by the relocation the opportunity to register for housing in the UGEL halls.
“By the time the order was made, almost ninety percent (90%) of the said students had accepted residency in the re-assigned halls while about eighty (80%) of the students have actually paid and taken up residence in the re-assigned halls. Financial support was available for students who genuinely had difficulty in paying the residential fees charged for the UGEL Halls,” excerpts of the release statement indicated.