Since our last meeting I regret to mention that one aspect of Work in our Universities namely, teaching, has been disrupted. 

Events at the University of Cape Coast: 
It was reported to me that at dawn on Wednesday, 12th April, 1978, at Cape Coast, police, without reference to the University authorities and contrary to assurances to the University authorities and instructions given by the Inspector-General of Police to his Senior officers, searched the premises of three Senior members (two lecturers and an Assistant Registrar) of the University. 

The University of Cape Coast has since lodged a protest with the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Central Region. I have been in touch with the I.G.P. on the matter but he denied knowledge of the move by the Cape Coast police. This recent incursion by the police generated a feeling of insecurity among the staff and students at the University of Cape Coast and, as a result, the Academic Staff Association gave notice of the withdrawal of their services with effect from 12th April, 1978, the very day of the search. 

Ghana Association of University Teachers (GAUT) 
On 6th April, 1978 (GAUT) Ghana Association of University Teachers resolved to adopt a resolution of the Association of Professional Bodies on the referendum and further resolved that, in view of mass arrests of leaders of the various bodies which campaigned for a No-vote in the referendum, and the general state of fear which had gripped the country, it found it impossible for its members to go about their normal duties. On 13th April, the Association mot and reaffirmed its earlier decision to proceed with the strike action. As a result, when the University of Ghana, Legon, re-opened on 14th April, the position was that teaching could not be resumed as planned. 

Members of GAUT have stayed away from their teaching duties up till now and other teachers who are not members of the Association have not found it easy to attend lectures. The University authorities have unsuccessfully made repeated appeals to members of GAUT to resume teaching. Theso efforts included appeals by the Vice-Chancellors, the Executive Committee of the Academic Board, the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and the Joint Councils of the Universities. 

Letter from the Castle 
The Secretary to the SMC addressed a letter to me on the instructions of the Head of State regarding the situation in the Universities. There was a veiled threat in the letter stating that the Government would not look on for a chaotic situation to continue to persist at the University campuses indefinitely and requested that the University authorities should take immediate and necessary action to ameliorate the situation, failing which the Government would advise itself as to the most appropriate action to take. The Head of State further requested that a list of all students who are prepared to attend lectures and of all lecturers who are prepared to undertake their lecture assignments be submitted to him by 4 p on Friday, 21st April, 1978. The other main points in the letter from the Castle are:- 

i. That an atmosphere of chaos and unrest prevails on the University campuses; 

ii. That some members of the University staff and students have been indulging in political activities; 

iii. That the University authorities have failed to return work on their campuses to normalcy.

The contents of the letter were brought to the attention of the three universities who in turn arranged a joint meeting of the University Councils to discuss the issue. 

The reaction of the Joint Councils was that while admitting that there had been a disruption in the teaching programme of the Universities it was misleading to say that an atmosphere of chaos prevailed on the University campuses. 

On the charge that some members of the University staff and students have been indulging in political activities, the joint meeting was of the view that by their very nature, Universities should not prevent their members, as individuals, from expressing views on any matters of national concern. It was in keeping with this principle that the Universities, for example, did not prevent their members, as individuals, from expressing views either for or against the concept of Union Government during the recent referendum campaign. 

The Joint Meeting accordingly decided to urge the Government to refrain from arresting and detaining citizens of the country for holding views that do not coincide with those of the Government. It is well-known that Universities have regulations which govern the grant of leave of absence without pay to members of staff for a specific period to enable them to accept appointments, including political appointments, outside the Universities and these have been scrupulously applied. 

While expressing concern for the situation on the campuses, the Joint Councils came to the view that if the following steps were taken by the Government, it would be possible for the Universities to resume normal academic life:-

a. The release of all staff and students presently held in custody; 

b. An assurance by the Government that, in the event of the arrest of any university staff member or student outside the University Campus, the University authorities should be informed of the fact and of the grounds for the arrest without delay; 

c. Molestation and harassment of individuals on University campuses by the law enforcement agencies will cease; 

d. Staff and students who have gone into hiding for fear of arrest will not be molested on their return. 

The University authorities, the Secretary to the Council and myself, not the Head of State on 28th April expressed concern for the state of affairs which have developed at the various campuses and appealed to him to use his good offices in resolving the problem. Apart from promises that appropriate investigations were proceeding and that this would be expedited, nothing much seemed to have been achieved. The Head of Stato, however, confirmed that there would be no police activity on any University campus without prior notification of the Vice-Chancellor. 

On the release of staff and students who are presently in custody, the impression was given that the Government had good reasons for holding them and that, pending the completion of the investigations, the Government was not in a position to decide what action to take. The Government, however, undertook to expedite the investigations. 

The situation before us now is that both students and the Association of University Teachers have decided that, until all members of the Universities now detained or are in hiding are released or assured of a safe return, they do not intend to carry out their lecture assignments. 

As a result of this statement, the University of Ghana decided last week to close on Saturday, 6th May, 1978. 

Rescheduling of University Programme: 
I wish to propose to Council that the three Universities should be asked to work in concert in preparing a programme for the reorgani- sation of the rest of the academic year’s work in order to ensure that the students, especially those who are to graduate this year,do not suffer and also to nake possible the admission of the new students who are to cone in from the sixth forms.

Signing of an Undertaking: 
I further wish to propose that the Council should consider requesting both students and the Academic Staff alike to sign an undertaking on their return to campus to abide by the University regulations and not indulge in politics. Whoever wishes to take to politics could obtain leave of absence from the University. I have been informed that the Council of the University of Ghana held an emergency meeting last night and agreed to approach this Council to find some way of resolving the present impasse to enable the Universities in Ghana to resume full and normal academic life. to I should now like to call on the Council to discuss these matters in detail and advise both the University authorities and the Government in the matter as it deems fit.

Read main meeting minutes here