The University of Ghana has suspended four immediate past executives of the Junior Common Room (JCR) of Commonwealth Hall for three academic years, after being found guilty of charges leveled against them per the University’s Statutes, and Regulations for Junior Members.
According to a press release from the University signed by the Registrar, Mrs. Emelia Agyei-Memsah, the JCR executives allowed some members of the hall to use slanderous publications which the university describes as false, reckless, and defamatory on some Senior Officers of the University on 18th and 19th of August, 2022.
On 18th and 19th August 2022, some former JCR Executives of the Commonwealth Hall organized or allowed the organization of meetings of the JCR of Commonwealth Hall. These meetings provided a platform for the delivery and publication of false, reckless, and defamatory statements against Senior Officers of the University, which brought the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, the PRO-Vice Chancellor, and the University as a whole into disrepute.
Four of the executives namely, Paul Anim Inkoom (the President), Bright Gati (Vice President), Daniel Kofi Boakye (Secretary), and Daniel Odoi Nyarko (Treasurer) after investigations conducted by the Disciplinary Board for Junior Members were found breaching the rules and regulations guiding the conduct and behavior of Junior members.
Following a complaint lodged against the affected students, the Disciplinary Board for Junior Members conducted a hearing and established a case of misconduct contrary to the University of Ghana Statutes 2011 (as amended), and the University of Ghana Regulations for Junior Members, 2017, against the JCR Executives of Commonwealth Hall.
However, the Legal Advisor of the Hall, Frank Asare, was found not guilty of any of the charges that were leveled against him.
The sanctions will simultaneously begin with previous sanctions for misconduct for blatantly disobeying the Vice-Chancellor and the Dean of Students’ Affairs. The statement said.
Background:
Commonwealth Hall on August 18 demonstrated against the University of Ghana Council, Management after the Senior Hall Tutor of the hall and Hall Master were relieved of his duties, surcharged the hall with all the cost for damaging properties at the Mensah Sarbah Hall in their recent clash despite the Dean of Students’ Affairs ban on all gatherings including such processions without official approval from the University.
In the heat of events, the student leaders demanded that the Vice-Chancellor step down from their posts if they can’t “demonstrate justice, fairness in her position”.
The JCR also described the PRO-Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs as “incompetent” and such he must step down.
Story Written By: Collins Frimpong Boadi
