Student activist, Justice Alor has petitioned the University of Ghana’s Dean of Students Affairs to look into the alleged unconstitutionality, illegalities and ultra vires actions performed by the Student Representative Council’s (SRC) executive committee (EXECOM) in their meeting which took place on 28th October, 2023.
He premised his petition on Article 14 clause 5(a) of the UGSRC constitution which states that;
“The Committee shall, in times of Emergency, have powers to act promptly without prejudice to any provision of this Constitution, provided that the General Assembly shall, where this University is on vacation, within three days of re-opening at an emergency or, within three days were this University is in session, be informed of the use of such emergency power by the President.”
He further referred to clause 5(b) of article 14 stating that ,
“The General Assembly shall, upon receiving the facts and circumstances pertaining to the said emergency action, review the decision and make appropriate resolutions for the continuance or otherwise of the said emergency action.”
He urged the Dean to take an immediate action to address this issue and ensure that the UGSRC EXECOM is held accountable for their actions.
Meanwhile, he suggested some strategies that can be considered by the Dean to ensure that the General Assembly can convene and have free and fair elections. Some of the strategies included a collaboration with the Legon police to control violence on campus as well as the suspension of the EXECOM meeting followed by a declaration of it being null until the General Assembly makes a final determintion on th ematter. To this, he called on the Dean to allow the General Assembly to convene in the quest of electing a new chairperson as soon as posssible, with reference to the disruptions that took place on 22nd October at the General Assembly Chairmanship elections.
“That I understand that following the violence that marred the 22nd October, 2023 General Assembly meeting for the election a Chairperson, your outfit issued a communique which indicated an indefinite suspension of the election until further notice, but I am humbly requesting you to allow the General Assembly to convene for the election of a new Chairperson.”
“That the emergency General Assembly should be held in the afternoon rather in the evening and should be supervised by you as was done in the 2022/23 academic year Speakership election. That I humbly request that you should liaise with the Legon Police Command to provide police officers in order to prevent any possible violence that shall emanate from students or outsiders. That the emergency General Assembly meeting should be strictly by invitation and accreditation from your outfit.”
“That the actions of the 28th October, 2023 EXECOM meeting be suspended and declared null and void until a final determination by the General Assembly as seen in the article 14 clause 5(b) of the UGSRC Constitution. That you should ensure that the UGSRC Constitution is respected by all so far as the activities of the UGSRC is concerned and not countenance any usurping of functions and powers of a constitutionally established body of the UGSRC by another.”
The petition can be found below.
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Story by : Michelle Lartey | univers.ug.edu.gh
