Legon Campus Crisis: 3 Students Arrested

By Stephen K. Effah
Monday, 30 April 2007

The second semester examination of the University of Ghana was nearly marred on Saturday morning as a result of the smearing of three examination centres with human excreta.

The faecal matter, suspected to have been the work of a group of the university’s students the night before, resulted in the postponement of one of the 17 papers, and a late start of papers that should have started at 7.30 am

History and Philosophy of Science papers which should have been written by level 300 students at the K.A.B. Jones Quartey Building, popularly known as "Tingitingi", was postponed indefinitely pending final determination by the university’s Director of Academic Affairs.

Meanwhile, DSP Michael Teku said three students from Commonwealth Hall have been arrested by police on suspicion of preparing to disrupt the examinations.

When the Times got to the university campus at 7 am, all was calm with both the police and the university security patrolling the campus.

Most study groups of the students were heard discussing the "shit bombing" while others were busily studying close to their various exams centres.

The university’s cleaners were also seen in hand gloves and nose masks busily cleaning up the mess and disinfecting the centres for the exams to start.

The K.A.B. Jones Quartey Building and new ‘N’ block where the faecal matter was spread all over on the floor, tables and chairs were the worst affected.

At the Central Cafeteria, the doors to the main hall were locked, as a result the faeces were poured in the room through the louvres.

At these centres, one could hardly breathe as the stench there was most ‘overpowering’ and even after the halls had been cleaned, most of the students who wrote their papers in adjoining halls continued to complain of the stench.

A number of the students, who spoke to the Times, commended the perpetrators for their action since it was the only option to let the university authorities know that they are against the ‘in’out’out’out’ accommodation policy.

Some students, on the other hand, condemned the act and urged the authorities to ensure that those involved were brought to book.

In an interview with the Times the Registrar of the University, T.A. Konu, described the incident as "disgusting and a behaviour that only befits animals and not university students."

He wondered why the perpetrators were able to undertake the act despite the fact that the doors were locked and were under strict security control and hinted that all university security personnel on duty at those centres would be dealt with.

Mr. Konu assured that the late start of some of the exams would not in any way affect the examination calendar, saying, "The exams will run according to schedule."

DSP Teku later told the Times that the Police were on the campus "because of law-abiding students. We are ready to protect students who are willing to write the exams. We will not talk to anybody or accost anyone."

He indicated that the fact that the police are holding arms does not mean they would be used against students, adding that the police were taking measures to protect those lecturers who were issued death threat by a group of students.