On the 10th of December, 1976, the public was informed that a University Committee had been appointed to investigate a student demonstration which occurred on Wednesday, 8th December, 1976. The public was to be informed of the outcome of the investigations. 

2. The demonstrators, on Wednesday, 8th December, numbered some 350, mostly first year students. An anonymous notice appearing early in the morning called for a boycott of lectures by first year students and threatened “vandal action” against “black legs”. By 8.00 a. m. some 150 first year students had gathered in the University Square. They decided to disrupt classes in order to augment their numbers. One sec- tion of the students moved to a Lecture Theatre (Block N) where a class in Economics was in progress and persuaded the students to join them. Students on their way to a chemistry class were stopped and also forced to join. Another section went to the School of Administration to disrupt classes. Now numbering 300-350, the students interrupted classes in the Faculty of Agriculture. At about 10. At 15 a. m., the demonstrators arrived at the Academic Section of the Registry carrying tree branches and sticks while singing and shouting obscenities. They occupied the verandahs of the two floors of the Academic Section while some forced their way into the office of Mr. S. B. Mfodwo, the Deputy Registrar (Academic Affairs). 
3. The object of the whole exercise, ostensibly, was to get from the Deputy Registrar an explanation for alleged delays in submitting to the Ghana Commercial Bank, Legon Branch, the names of first year students for the Government loans to which they were entitled under N.R.C.D. No. 356: “University Students Credit Scheme Decree 1975”. The students forced the Deputy Registrar out of his office and requested him to address them in the Great Hall. As examinations were taking place in the Great Hall, he addressed them in the forecourt of the Great Hall. He explained that the list of students admitted into the University by the end of October had been submitted to the Bank on the 2nd of November 1976; a supplemen- tary list of those admitted in early November had also been sent on the 18th of November 1978. But the students were not satisfied with the explanation. They pushed him around, heckled him and asked that he should accompany them to the Legon Branch of Ghana Commercial Bank to speak to the Manager. They took him to his car, sat him in the back and took his car keys from him. The car carrying the Deputy Registrar in the back seat driven by a student with another sitting beside the Deputy Registrar, arrived at the Bank with the demonstrators following close upon it, banging the body of the car and shouting obscenities. At the Bank, blocks of stone were placed under the car to prevent its being driven away and the demonstration continued until the Manager of the Bank announced that he had received instructions from his Head Office to organise payment immediately. 
4. The Investigating Committee was appointed on Friday, 10th Decem- ber, 1976. It sat next day to draw up a list of persons who should be interviewed. Invitations were sent the same day and interviews began from Monday, 13th December to Wednesday, 15th December. The report of the Investigating Committee has established that the demonstrations were encou- raged and directed by students who had been in the University for more than one year. 
5. At the beginning of the present academic year, the Government announced that feeding in all Universities should be organised on a “Pay-As- You-Eat” (P.A.Y.E.) basis. Government also approved for student maintenance a grant of dsc0. 00 per annum to be distributed as follows:-

 (i) 2.00 per diem for food, i. e. 448. 00 per session of 32 weeks; 

(ii) 212.00 and 790.00 per resident student and non- resident student respectively for the provision and maintenance of catering services payable to the University.

(iii) 0240.00 per resident student for other residence (non-catering) facilities; 

(iv) 360.00 per non-resident student for accommodation, transportation etc. 

Since the beginning of the session, the Student Representative Council (S.R.C.) has been under pressure to secure an increase by 50 pesewas in the per diem feeding allowance of 72.00. The Residence Board had three long meetings on this issue. During the course of the discussions, differences developed among the ranks of the student leadership. A group calling itself the “Student Militia” emerged to fight the issue by ‘militant action”. The group succeeded in rallying behind it various other discontented groups by promises of militancy. One such discontented group was the first year students.

6. The “Student Militia” also succeeded in organising the removal from office the executive of the S.R.C. whose term of office was coming to an end in the course of the term, and now, working closely with the Interim S.R.C., actively took up the loans cause. They made enquiries from the Manager of the local branch of Ghana Commercial Bank about the date for payment; they discussed with the Dean of Students the most effective strategy to secure early payment and they addressed the demon- strators on the morning of Wednesday, 8th December. The Investigating Committee discovered that the suggestion to fetch an official from the Administration and bring him to the Bank on the morning of 8th December in fact came from one of the leaders of the “Militia” with the support of the President of the Interim S. R.C. 
7. There have been far too many demonstrations and other forms of distractions in the recent history of the University. There is anxiety on the part of both staff and students that an atmosphere of law and order should be maintained on the Campus so that the University, including the student members, would be able to devote its energies to its proper concerns. The Executive Committee of the Academic Board has decided that all those who participated in the demonstration on Wednesday, 8th December 1976, either in the planning or its execution or both and whose quilt: had been established, did so in breach of university regulations and it has agreed on sanctions ranging from rustication to dismissal. Three students have been rusticated from the University for the rest of session; seven students have had their admission for the current session cancelled with an option to reapply; two students have had their admission for the current session cancelled with an option to reapply after 1978; and three students have been dismissed from the University. The Investigating Committee found that in respect of two other students who appeared before it, the evi- dence of their participation in the demonstration was not conclusive. It therefore recommended that the two students should be given the benefit of the doubt. The Executive Committee of the Academic Board has accepted this recommendation. 
8. Violence on Campus – Both staff and students of the University have expressed concern that the incidence of violence on the campus is on the increase. In the process of rallying students to join the demonstration on the morning of Wednesday, 8th December, two students who offered resistance were forcibly seized by the first year students and deposited in the nearest pond. On the eve of the demonstrations, the President and the Secretary of the ousted Executive of the S.R.C. had been seized and similarly thrown in a pond by a group of first year students. According to the perpetrators of this act, the Executive of the S.R.C. had not told the truth about the time when payment of the loans was to be expected. An attempt was made to “pond” also the Treasurer of the S. R. C. the same evening, but she was not in her room in Volta Hall when the group went in search of her. Another female student in Volta Hall who indicated . disapproval of the conduct of the group had a bucketful of water thrown into her room. The mosquito netting got damaged in the process. To secure the safety of all persons on campus, the Executive Committee of the Academic Board has decided that in future all acts of violence should be severely punished. From now on “ponding” is an offence in the University; there is the very real possibility of death resulting from water getting into the lungs of the victim or from the victim’s hand hitting a solid substance in the pond. The Executive Committee of the Academic Board has also directed that the activities of the “Student Militia” should be the subject of a further investigation early next term. Information which came before the Investigating Committee indicate that the group is prone to acts of intimidation and violence. 
9. The Role of the S.R.C. Before the Investigating Committee could begin its interview, the S. R.C. issued a notice dated 12th December which read as follows:- 

“It has been brought to the notice of the S.R.C. that letters dated 10th December, 1976, have been sent to certain individuals asking them to appear before a committee set up by the Executive Committee of the Academic Board to investigate incidents leading to the disturbances on Wednesday, 8th December, 1976. The S.R.C. wishes by this release to inform all concerned that: 

1. The S.R.C. as government of the student body represents student interest and welfare and that any action involving any student or group of students must pass through the S.R.C. 
2. It has therefore advised all those students invited to appear before the said Committee NOT TO DO SO. 
3. Any student invited to appear before the Committee who does so contrary to this S.R.C. decision will be: 

(a) doing so in his own personal interest; 

(b) at his own risk; 

(c) showing open defiance of, and contempt for the student government by his act, which act, will be viewed as dangerous collaboration with the University authorities. 

4. Any communication present and future on this issue therefore be directed to the S.R.C. which is prepared to help the Committee do its work.
5. ... of the Executive Committee of the Academic Board to bypass the LEGITIMATE STUDENT GOVERNMENT and rather deal directly with individual students in an issue where ONLY the S.R.C. and NOT any other group let alone individual students should be held responsible. 

Meanwhile, by this release, all the individual students invited to appear are advised to bring immediately, their letters to the S.R.C. office and note that any future communication on this issue mailed to them whether school is in session or not should be re-directed to the S.R.C. for appropriate action. That is to say, under no circumstances should any student appear before the Committee over such an issue.” 

Next, the S.R.C. submitted to the Vice-Chancellor the following communica- tion dated 14th December:- 

“At a meeting of the S.R.C. and J.C.R. Presidents convened yesterday 13th December, 1978 to discuss the above issue and the stand of the student body vis-a-vis a release on the above issue dated 12th December and addressed to the Chairman of the Investigating Committee, the following decisions were taken: 

1. While accepting that certain aspects of the demon- strations were in excess and consequently have our strong condemnation, we nonetheless feel that the principle behind the move was genuine, and in the interest of the entire student body. We therefore stand by our earlier statement that the committee should deal with the Student Government rather than with individuals in this matter. 
2. That as the student leaders we are of the firm belief that in view of the charged atmosphere on campus it is unwise for the “fact finding committee” to continue. 
3. That even though the University admits students as individuals, once here, they are organised into a body with a permanent authority to seek their welfare.” 

The latest communication from the S.R.C. dated 15th December 1976 (i.e. a day after the above submission) is an apology which reads as follows:- 

“In conformity with our desire to help restore peace and harmony on campus we wish to offer our sincere and unqualified apology to you and particularly to Mr. Mfodwo and other senior members who were in any way inconvenienced and embarrassed by the unfortu- nate disturbances on Wednesday, the 8th of December, 1976. 

“Further we wish to state categorically that we do not condone in any way irresponsible behaviour and that we on our part are doing our best to curb any such similar disturbances.

“We hope therefore you will accept our apology and with the considered common interest of all appreciate the S.R.C. stand and consider our position in this matter.” 

The Executive Committee of the Academic Board appreciates the apology but it has also noted that the understanding of the S.R.C. of its role in the University is contrary to the provisions of the matriculation oath which enjoins each student individually to be responsible for his actions – 

“I solemnly promise to observe the regulations of this University and to obey the Vice-Chancellor and those to whom my obedience is required,to study diligently, to seek the truth and to promote the good of the University so far as in me lies. ” 

The Executive Committee has accordingly directed that the Residence Board should undertake a review of the constitution of the S.R.C. with a view to eliminating any ambiguities and sources of conflict with the law establishing the University, namely, the University of Ghana Act, 1931, the Statutes made thereunder and the Regulations for Junior Members. 

10. The University would like to stress that it is always prepared to discuss legitimate grievances of any of its members but it would not or courage violation of its regulations in pursuit of alleged sense of grievance and any acts of indiscipline and unwanton acts of violence and irresponsibility. It will continue to respect individual rights and liberties including the right of dissent within the framework of the various processes of seeking redress to any causes of grievances. It will not under any circumstances be prepared to abandon this responsibility and it will also not encourage an atmosphere of instability and danger to life and property. 

E.A.K. EDZII 
REGISTRAR 
UNIVERSITY OF GHANA 
Dated at Legon 
28th December, 1976.

Read about the 1971 students disturbances here
Read about the 1968 students demonstrations here