Authorities at the University of Ghana, Legon have warned students who attempt to disrupt the peace on campus to desist from such acts as they will be dealt with in accordance with the laws and regulations of the University.
The authorities said students must apprise themselves of the channels made available by the University in seeking redress.
“The University will not countenance any violent conduct,” a press statement issued by the Registrar, Emelia Agyei-Mensah, said.
It comes a couple of days after some students, mostly of the Commonwealth Hall of Residence, clashed with police over a High Court order served on the University.
The Order was an injunction, stopping the University from implementing a decision by its Council on the new residency policy.
But the statement on Thursday, February 16 insists that no policy dated October 26, 2022 was being implemented as at the time the order was filed.
“The University has and continues to maintain, both in and out of court, that it is implementing a decision of the University Council, communicated by its notice dated December 14, 2022.”
It said it is within the Council’s remit to formulate such regulations and members of faculty and students are duly represented.
The statement said even by the time the University received an ex parte injunction, about 90 percent of affected students in both Commonwealth and Mensah Sarbah halls had accepted their residency and made payments.
“In spite of the difficulty in comprehending the ex parte order, as it related to a decision that did not exist, upon receipt of the order, the University immediately stopped further allocation of rooms at Commonwealth Hall out of the abundance of caution.”
But in replying a second order, for which some students marched on Tuesday, February 14, the University said “the order of injunction of the High Court may not be enforced”.
“In any case, an order is certainly not enforced in the violent and lawless manner in which the group acted,” it said about last Tuesday’s clashes.
Calm has since been restored but 18 persons were arrested and arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court.
“Students are again reminded that the University Statutes and Student Regulations provide channels for seeking redress, and that the University will not countenance any violent conduct.
“Any student who attempts to disrupt the peace on Campus will be dealt with according to the laws and regulations of the University,” the statement concluded.