UTAG Condemns Intrusion Of National Security In Legon SRC Elections

The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has condemned what it says was an intrusion of National Security operatives into an election of the Students Representative Council (SRC) of the University of Ghana, Legon.

A statement signed by UTAG President, Dr. Samuel Nkumbaan and Secretary, Dr. Ransford Gyampo, said the intrusion amounted to a trample on the academic freedoms of the students.

“Our attention has been drawn to the invasion of National Security Personnel on the University of Ghana campus, to police the just ended Student Representative Council (SRC) election, on October 20, 2021, without the knowledge, consent or authorization of Management of the University,” the statement read.

“The National Security intrusion violates the rights of not only the students but academics and staff who together constitute the academic community. Students have the right to conduct their elections and select those who must lead them, and the universities have their own internal security arrangements that competently oversee such processes. We, therefore, condemn the National Security intrusion on campus as an attack on academic freedom.”

The statement comes after videos emerged on social media about national security operatives being deployed to the UG campus at Legon to hawk over elections by the SRC.

Apparently, the Akufo-Addo government had deployed the national security to ensure that members of the ruling NPP’s TESCON, win the elections to govern the UG SRC.

But UTAG has expressed displeasure over the development. 

“The University of Ghana branch of the University Teachers’ Association of Ghana (UG-UTAG) takes serious exception to the intrusion and strongly condemns it as a blatant move to undermine academic freedom and the right of students to freely exercise their democratic choice.” the statement said.

It said any official of the University who may have granted an interview to suggest a justification of such intrusion by the National Security was condoned a grave fascist attempt at capturing Ghana’s education with partisan minions. 

“By the Basic Laws of the University, universities are entitled to enjoy some institutional autonomy, and their campuses are expected to be out of reach of security personnel, except were invited by the management of the universities themselves. To ensure law and order, public universities have their own security personnel, and can call on the regular security agencies for reinforcement when the need arises,” UTAG charged.