STUDENT DEMONSTRATIONS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, KUMASI 

By E.C. Quist-Therson, Principal Secretary Ministry of Education, Higher Education Division 

On Sunday, March 20, at the instance of the Secretary to the NLC, I investigated by telephone a report about student demonstrations at the University of Science and Technology, Kumasi. The following account was given me by Dr. R. P. Baffour, Vice-Chancellor at around 10 a.m. 

In the course of the afternoon of Friday 18, information reached Dr. Baffour that the students were planning a demonstration against him. He decided to take personal charge of any situation that might develop and remained in his office during Friday/Saturday night. 

At about 4.30 a.m. on Saturday, it was reported to him that some students had marched against his bungalow, and had broken some windows and doors. The demonstrators were estimated at about 70. He called in the Police who arrested some 40 students. Some 14 of these, who resisted being arrested, or were otherwise very violent, are still being held by the Police. 

During Saturday afternoon, March 19, there were further demonstrations by about 120 students, out of a total enrolment of 1,500. On that occasion the Assistant Superintendent of Police, Kumasi, came up himself; had further arrests made; and has been on the campus since in order to stop immediately any further acts of indiscipline and violence which might occur. 

Among allegations made against Dr. Baffour by the students were the following. He was Nkrumah’s stooge, and so must leave the University under the new regime. He was No. 2 tyrant of Ghana, a country in which there is no place now for tyranny. He is a nepotist; he looks after his own interests only, proof of which is provided by his building a new residence for himself at a time when other staff were without satisfactory housing while he already had a very good bungalow. His administration is marked by extravagant expenditure. 

The University was due to close down for the Easter vacation on Wednesday, March 23. In view of the incidents described above, Dr. Baffour had decided, after consulting with some senior members of staff, to end the term today and to send away all the students by tomorrow, Monday 21st March. 

Dr. Baffour asked me to arrange for him to report to the National Liberation Council personally by 11 a.m. on Tuesday March 22. He explained that he did not wish to leave the campus before all the students had gone down on Monday. He indicated that he would like an enquiry held into the demonstrations. 

The telephone conversation was not very clear. The report above accordingly represents the best I could make of what passed between Dr. Baffour and myself when we spoke. 

20th March, 1966.

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