Nov 4, 1968

UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
STUDENTS’ REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL

Resolution on Students Unrest At the University of Ghana, Legon

“At about 1030 a.m. on the 22nd of Oct.1968, six truck loads of policemen entered the campus of the University of Ghana, Legon terrorising students in statu populari, and in fact attacking some non-violent student demonstrators with the unfortunate result of inflicting injuries on many students, four of them seriously.

Later in the day, information reaching us also made us aware of the detention of twenty-four students of the said University” and that a hundred more policemen have been engaged at the main gates of the University.

The students of the University of Science & Technology

(i )aware of the dire need of a free University to enable a fair interplay of ideas and the influence of a free Press for the establishment of a true democracy,

(ii) noting that the decision of the Authorities of the University of Ghana, Legon, suspending four students of the said University and withholding the degree of a final-year student, apart from being malicious and premature also constituted a deliberate attempt to provoke the student body of the University of Ghana, and the University students of Ghana in general.

(iii) noting that the invitation of the Authorities to the Police to keep order on the campus was uncalled for, since the students’ demonstration was non-violent, and hence violating the basic students’ right to protest against unjustified decisions on matters affecting student life on the campus.

therefore,

(a) vehemently deplore the action of the authorities of the University of Ghana for inviting the Police to assist them perpetuate their wanton and offensive misuse of power

(b) demand the immediate release of the said arrested students and a subsequent redress of the grievances of the student demonstrators,

(c) call upon the Authorities to create such conditions on the campus which will ensure the full and independent development of the students in a free society, and

(d) extend our full solidarity and total support to the students of the University of Ghana in their fight for a free and democratic society geared towards progress, and also in their efforts to voice their opinions in an atmosphere free from threats of recrimination and intimation.

(Sgd.) Ken Ampratwum
PRESIDENT

Cc.
Members of the N.L.C.
Inspector General of Police
All Vice-Chancellors
Principal (U.C.C.C.)
All Registrars.