The Speaker of Parliament, Mr Justice Jacob Griffiths-Randolph, has appealed to the authorities of the University of Science and Technology (UST) to allow the students of the university to return to the campus and resume academic and other pursuits.

He said by this appeal, the students automatically would be bound to accept the discipline and regulatory conditions of civilised academic life in an institution of higher learning.

The Speaker’s appeal followed the adoption of an urgent motion in Parliament yesterday in which members expressed concern over the disturbing development at the UST which has spread to other institutions of higher learning.

The motion called on a committee of the House to investigate and effect reconciliation in a manner that will evolve a lasting solution to the problem.

It was tabled jointly by the leaders of the four parties in Parliament with M. Constance Fitih as the pilot.

All the twelve members who contributed to the motion were unanimous in their views that the country could ill-afford a confrontation between students and university authorities and urged that the impasse be treated with dispatch.

An amendment to the motion tabled by Mr John Agyekum Kufour (PFP, Atwima Nwabiagya), which sought to empower an all-party ad-hoc committee to handle the issue was lost by a margin of 38.46 votes.

The Speaker reminded the students whose representatives were in the public gallery of the House, that it was only under conditions of courtesy, give-and-take and mutual consideration or respect that a reconciliation could be effected.

He asked the student leaders to make it their solemn duty to contact their colleagues in other institutions to desist from any acts of solidarity which might hamper measures initiated to bring reconciliation in the dispute.

Mr Justice Griffiths-Randolph expressed confidence that the resolve, impartiality and commitment of orderly and disciplined development of education and of society in general would not be impugned by any of the parties to the present dispute.

He, therefore, implored the committee entrusted with the task of settling the impasse at UST to proceed with expedition and wisdom.

Earlier in the day, student representatives drawn from the three universities went on a peaceful demonstration amid the chanting of songs and hymns through some streets in Accra.

They later ended up at Parliament House where a platoon of steel-helmeted and rifle-bearing policemen had been put on alert. The entire perimeter of the House was cordoned off but the students were later allowed to enter the House and sat in the public gallery to listen to proceedings.

The University of Science and Technology was closed down last week when the student body refused to attend lectures in protest against the sacking of some of their number and the suspension of others for their involvement in a kidnapping case during the Queen’s Hall riots last year.

Students from the two other universities also decided to boycott lectures in solidarity with their Kumasi colleagues.

 

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