ETS Board of Directors Crisis Session

General News of Monday, March 18, 2019

Source: Graphic.com.gh

2019-03-18

The Board of Directors of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), will hold a closed meeting on Monday after the closure of the Winneba and Ajumako campuses, on Thursday, March 14, 2019, due to a violent demonstration students.

Sources in the university's corridors told Graphic Online that the meeting would focus on how to address the stalemate that led to the student protest last week, reports Gilbert Mawuli Agbey.

Following the meeting, the council will address the media during the UEW confrontation and the process.

Prior to the meeting, board members would visit the Winneba campus to badess the extent of the damage done by student protesters last week in the thousands of Ghanaian cedis.

The Winneba and Ajumako campuses of the STE were closed for an indefinite period last Thursday by the Central Region Security Council when a student demonstration became violent.

In the meantime, the STE board of directors called on the university community and students to remain calm while the council was working to restore calm and normalcy on campus.

In a press release signed and published by Professor Emmanuel Nicholas Abakah, President, the UEW Council urged all stakeholders to remain patient because it would take the necessary steps to break the stalemate and ensure the reopening of the university.

According to counsel, he had noted with concern the recent events on the Winneba campus, particularly with regard to the agitation that was turning into acts of violence on life and property, noting that University was currently badessing the damage done and was going to issue a detailed press release to address the issues, including the misinformation that took the airwaves regarding the university.

She added that the university was committed to the directive of Mr. Kwamena Duncan, Minister of Central Region, to close the campuses of the University of Winneba and Ajumako until new order.

"Early next week, the council will meet and details of the way forward for the university would be communicated to the academic community and the general public," the statement said.

In addition, the "Concerned Youth" of Winneba, in a statement signed by its host, Mr. Umar Salam, also condemned the vandalism of properties and the blocking of trade routes during the demonstrations.

According to the group, they noted the questionable involvement of some elements that were neither students nor members of the UEW staff in these unnecessary acts of destruction that undermined the sanctity of the demonstrations.

The group members also stated that they were clearly uncomfortable with the incessant and profuse interference of the deputy of Effutu, Mr. Alexander Afenyo-Markin, in the activities of the group. STE who had contributed to the stalemate.

They asked the member to stop interfering with the UEW business and to allow management to develop it into a stronger teacher training institution.

Last Monday, UEW students started a demonstration on the north campus of Winneba to express their dissatisfaction with the dismissal of some of their lecturers.

The demonstration, however, escalated into violence on Thursday, March 14, 2019, when students demonstrating went on a rampage by breaking the windows of some buildings and buses.

In the opinion of the Regional Security Council, the Central Regional Minister, Mr. Kwamena Duncan, has permanently closed the Winneba and Ajumako campuses.