The 2025 Students’ Representative Council (SRC) has constructed a state-of-the-art 3D digital signpost and purchased an ambulance, demonstrating their commitment to improving the school and supporting community welfare.

Under the leadership of Headmaster Cole Kwabla, Kadjebi Asato SHS is undergoing transformative changes driven by its proactive student body.

The 3D digital signpost, unveiled recently at a cost of GH¢34,000, marks a major milestone in the school’s history. Unlike traditional signage, the modern digital display adds a vibrant, technologically advanced element to the school’s landscape. It is designed to efficiently convey important information, school events, and achievements, keeping both students and the wider community well-informed.

In addition, the SRC acquired an ambulance for GH¢80,000, reflecting their dedication to addressing students’ healthcare needs. The new service is expected to significantly reduce emergency response times within the school community.

SRC President Nyimock emphasized that these initiatives extend the SRC’s impact beyond academics, benefiting the broader community.

Headmaster Cole Kwabla praised the students’ efforts, noting the importance of integrating technology into educational settings.

He said, “The efforts of our SRC in bringing these projects to fruition highlight the leadership and innovation that Kadjebi Asato SHS fosters. These projects are not just investments in our school but in our community’s future.”

These pioneering initiatives by the Kadjebi Asato SHS SRC showcase how student leadership can drive both technological innovation and social progress.

Source: Obrempongba K. Owusu

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Joseph Mawuli Asioh’s lawsuit challenges the inclusion of two disqualified candidates in the 2024 SRC elections, citing procedural violations by the University’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Student Affairs.

The defendants in the suit are the University of Ghana, the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Professor Gordon A. Awandare), the Dean of Students Affairs (Professor Rosina Kyerematen), and the SRC Electoral Commissioner (Mudassir-Ibn Ibrahim).

Background

The legal dispute began when the SRC Vetting Committee disqualified two aspirants, Emmanuel Owusu Amponsah and Maradona Adjei Yeboah (popularly known as Guru), for not meeting the residential requirement stipulated in the SRC Constitution.

The disqualified candidates subsequently appealed their disqualification to the SRC Court.

The SRC court ruled against the disqualified candidates and upheld the decision of the Vetting Committee.

However, despite the hearing of the case by the Judicial Board, the plaintiff contends that the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Professor Gordon Awandare instructed the Dean of Students Affairs to convene the SRC Appeals Board to hear the case.

The Appeals Board, which typically handles appeals and does not have original jurisdiction, controversially heard the matter.

In a decision that the plaintiff describes as unlawful, the Appeals Board overturned the Judicial Board’s ruling and reinstated the disqualified candidates, allowing them to contest in the upcoming SRC elections.

Reliefs Sought

Joseph Mawuli Asioh is seeking several declarations and orders from the court, including:

a. A declaration that the decision of the Vetting Committee to disqualify the two candidates was lawful and binding.
b. A declaration that the Appeals Board had no jurisdiction to overturn the Judicial Board’s ruling, especially in the absence of a formal appeal.
c. An order to restrain the defendants from interfering with the SRC electoral process.
d. An order preventing the inclusion of the disqualified candidates in the SRC elections.
The plaintiff is also seeking costs, including solicitor’s fees.

JoyNews understands that the defendants have been served with the writ of summons, and the case is expected to be heard in the Circuit Court in Adentan.

Additionally, Mawuli has filed for an interlocutory injunction to prevent the disqualified candidates from participating in the elections until the court delivers a final ruling.

Following a legal dispute after his disqualification by the SRC because he did not meet the criteria to contest, the Appeals Board unanimously ruled in his favour, clearing him and Emmanuel Owusu Amponsah to contest.

The Board directed that, the balloting for all vetted candidates be conducted on Monday, September 16, 2024, at the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs.

In response to his reinstatement, Guru expressed his satisfaction with the board’s decision.

“They will do that to frustrate you, but I won’t allow that. I appreciate the school and executives after I placed the injunction on the elections, and I was allowed to contest,” he said in an interview on Adom TV’s morning show, Badwam Monday.

Guru also highlighted key issues affecting the student body, including accommodation challenges, transportation difficulties, and the need for free data due to the prevalence of online lectures which he intends to work on if elected as the nect UG SRC President.

He also mentioned his plan to implement a policy for at least one sick bay in every hall, demonstrating his commitment to student welfare.

Source: Adomonline

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This historic moment marks his assumption of office as the University’s 64th SRC President.

Kane Nana Francis won against eight other opponents, securing 8890 votes representing 44.92% of the total vote cast at the end of the polls.

After failing to win the SRC election last year, Kane managed to make a strong comeback.

His landmark triumph serves as a testament to his campaign promises centered around improving student welfare, academic excellence, and enhancing campus life experiences through meaningful engagements among students and university administrators.

Key aspects of his manifesto include addressing accommodation challenges faced by many students, promoting entrepreneurship initiatives among budding innovators, and intensifying advocacy efforts concerning tuition affordability.

Kane seeks to create an environment conducive for personal development, learning, and research.

He will serve alongside his Vice President, Samuel Afful.

Kane Nana Francis takes over from Yvvone Osei Adobea.

The student alleges discrepancies and mismanagement in the utilization of the student funds, claiming that the current student administration led by Yvonne Osei Adobea approved a substantial increase in the annual budget without proper justification and consultation.

He argues that the lack of transparency creates room for possible financial malfeasance and undermines accountability towards students whose fees contribute to the running of the council.

A copy of the petition intercepted by JoyNews reads, “how can a budget be acceptable without the signature of the SRC president, and even of the financial secretary himself? Why should we consider a budget without title and letter head as an official budget? Over forty-two pages documents, there was no amount of money for an execution stated in the budget.”

According to the student, the SRC has failed to account for several events it has undertaken since assuming office.

“Several programs hosted by the SRC board were not stated in the budget, so, where did they get the capital to organize those programs, and why were they not addressed in the budget?”

The petition continues that: “Co-curriculum activities (sports and entertainment) where not allowed to accur due to the cataclysmic clash that happened between unity and Katanga Hall, but it was address in the budget that, there has been 20 percent increment on entertainment activities and 25 percent on sports activities, so, what were those increments used for, if there were no co-curriculum activities within the academic year”.

Stanley Yanful is also requesting a probe into the over 850,000 Ghana cedis used to purchase a vehicle for the university Police service by the previous administration led by former SRC President, Frank Owusu.

“This is becoming a persisting culture of the KNUST institution, just as the late administration led by Frank owusu, purchased a police vehicle of eight hundred and fifty thousand Ghana cedis, (850,000,000) which mounted up nothing beneficial to the institution, and of which we even doubt the price”.

He is demanding the institution of a committee to scrutinize records related to disbursement and the overall expenditure of the SRC.

Meanwhile, the SRC maintains that they acted within their mandate when approving the contentious budget.

In response to the accusations, the SRC President stated that all the accusations are untrue.

The university has since received the petition and is expected to act upon the request of the concerned student.

Sarkodie campaigned for his colleague during his performance at Pent Hall Week Artistes Night on Friday, May 24.

Addressing the student body, he urged them to support Guru’s candidacy, emphasizing that his leadership would open doors for creative individuals in the school.

In response, Guru has taken to social media to express his appreciation and thanked  Sarkodie for his endorsement.

He wrote, “I want to say a huge thanks to my day one brother @sarkodie for endorsing my SRC Presidential candidature at the Pent Hall Week on Saturday! Your support means a lot to me. UG ? Let’s make this happen! ✍? Building the SRC with everyone for everyone, DAY ONE BROTHER #Nyamenehene.”

I want to say a huge thank to my day one brother @sarkodie for endorsing my SRC Presidential candidature at the Pent Hall Week on Saturday! Your support means a lot to me.
UG ? Let’s make this happen!
✍?Building the SRC with everyone for everyone
DAY ONE BROTHER #Nyamenehene pic.twitter.com/PqskGsmeDh

— GURU NKZ (@gurunkz) May 27, 2024

Interestingly, with musician icon Samini having led the SRC at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Guru now aspires to follow suit at the University of Ghana.

He has been embarking on door-to-door campaigns and promising to take the school to higher heights if elected.

Guru has promised to fix the accommodation problems in the school should he win the election.

He is also promising to liaise with authorities to dig boreholes and provide polytanks at vantage places and departments, such as the Department Of Theatre Arts – School of Performing Arts.

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Former SRC President, Michael Abuah and erstwhile Speaker of the KNUST Parliament, Andrew Koranteng, were alleged to have misapplied a travel funding to an educational and leadership forum in South Africa.

On July 19, 2022, the Deputy Director of Student Affairs, in a letter written to the two, indicated that the former officers did not embark on the trip after an amount of GHC 9,100 had been allocated for it, asking the duo to refund the amount.

“Investigations, personal testimony and handwritten statements have proven that you did not embark on the trip. You are by this letter instructed to refund the amount,” the letter read.

Against this backdrop, they were asked to step aside from their duties after a Junior Member Disciplinary Committee was empaneled to probe into the issue.

Following series of investigations and based on evidences, the two have been found not guilty of the alleged misconduct.

A letter signed by the Registrar of KNUST stated that the University led by the Vice-Chancellor has exonerated them.

“Based on the investigations conducted and evidences elicited, the committee conclude you did not misappropriate the funds for your travel. The Vice-Chancellor, as the Chief Disciplinary Officer of the University, has considered the Committee’s report and accepted the recommendations of the committee for your exoneration,” the letter read.

In an interview with LuvNews, Michael Abuah, who is recovering from the event, explained the past year has been uneasy.

“It’s been a traumatic time for me. I was stigmatised. I had to be counseled most of the time. But as a leader, I don’t see any wrong when your people ask of accountability and probity. Not a bad thing though,” he said.

Others acquitted of the allegations include Vice President, Reginald Amo Yeboah and Financial Secretary, Derek Dadzie.

“We are trying to mobilise and help the SRC pay for more students. We are targeting about 3,000 of them to make sure their fees are paid, and their deferment reversed,” Dennis Appiah Larbi, President of NUGS, said in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday.

He added that there were plans also for the remaining students as well, saying, the Association would ensure every student’s interest was met.

The NUGS President said they had been able to negotiate with authorities for the deferment of the students to be annulled once they were able to pay the arrears.

He added that they had begun discussions with stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education, on the issue.

Mr Larbi assured the students that the association would do its best to ensure their deferment was reversed, so they could return to campus.

“I can assure every student affected in this that NUGS and the SRC will work to ensure they return to campus and continue their studies,” he stressed.

He described the decision by the university to defer the students as “harsh” and that it affected the rights of the students to education.

“Though we appreciate that the university needs these funds to run, measures like this go to the root and against our hope that education shall be a right and not a privilege,” he stressed.

More than 6,000 students of the KNUST have been deferred due to delays in payment of their fees. This was after the students could not pay their academic user fees, which had April 11, 2022, as the deadline.

Dr Daniel Norris Bekoe, the University Relations Officer, alleged that some of the affected students had invested their fees in ventures, including online taxi services, and gambling, among others, and were waiting to recoup their investments to pay.

These, among others, according to them, are affecting students enrollment while members of staff resign to other institutions.

The group claims management owes them accumulated 12 months salary.

“Since July 2019 we haven’t received salaries or bonuses. They keep telling us stories. How do they expect us to survive? I have to bury my dad but I can’t do it because I don’t have money,“ a cleaner at the University explained.

The protesters, clad in red, slammed the administration for poor management of the institution.

They held placards with several inscriptions some of which read: “Yabre…Osagyefo intervene, No money to buy sanitisers, No pay for 12 months. We are dying“ among other messages.

One of the leaders of the group, Richard Agboyi, wants the Chancellor, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin and government to intervene.

“After we took office conditions of service have never been good, especially salaries. For the past 12 months, we’ve not received our salaries and we don’t know the head and tail of what is going on. Our SSNIT is not being paid. We can’t even access National Health because our SSNIT has not been paid. I don’t know what the Chancellor is planning for the school because life is really really tough.

“We are pleading to the government to absorb the institution and see how it can help the institution,” he appealed.

Meanwhile, the staff members have given the university authorities a week’s ultimatum to fix the problems. They threatened to hit the streets of Kyebi to petition its owner, the Okyenhene.

Students of the Bolgatanga Polytechnic had set 24th of April to demonstrate over the cost of the vehicle.

The SRC leadership claim the vehicle, which has been described as rickety, a 2004 model, cost GHC66,000.00, and they also paid GHC4,000.00 to transport it to the school.

The angry students are therefore demanding the return of the vehicle for their money or else the school risk series of demonstrations and a court action.

But the Registrar of the school, Zangu-Rana Ibrahim D. Yakubu, has appealed to the student body to suspend their planned demonstration as urgent measures are taken to address the situation.

He said a five-member committee constituted to investigate the matter has furnished management with their recommendations, but the report was yet to be put before the academic board for consideration.

“In the interim, management has decided until this matter is resolved all expenditure on SRC should be suspended to safeguard the purse of their account because we have realized that the circumstance surrounding the purchase of the van was not transparent.”

“So I am sure by the close of next week, we should be able to convene a meeting to consider the recommendation of the committee,” Zangu-Rana Yakubu stated.

Background of the Questionable Toyota Hiace Van Purchase

Mr. Bugase on 30th January 2017, wrote to the management of Bolgatanga Polytechnic that he had acquired the Toyota Hiace-2004 model at a cost of GHC66,000.00 from Kumasi-Maganize, and used GHC4,000.00 to bring the vehicle to the school, and thus requested management to assist in the registration of the vehicle.

Management upon receipt of the letter, questioned the purchase of the vehicle since it did not approve of it. But on February 2, 2017, the SRC President wrote a letter of apology to management of the school for not seeking approval from them before purchasing the said vehicle.

On 8th March, an ad hoc five-member committee was constituted to investigate the matter and submitted its six points recommendations to management of the school.

Recommendations of the Committee

Management may with immediate effect fine Mr. Bugase Francis, SRC president three(3) percent and Mr. Malba Bright Junior, SRC Financial secretary two(2) percent of the total cost of the vehicle in accordance with statute 50.1 of the Polytechnic.

2.Mr. Bugase Francis and Mr. Malba Bright should not be signatories to the SRC account until they each pay their fines. 3.In the short-term, Management should ensure the registration of that bus and put to use.

4.The Dean of Students, Dr. Peter Osei Boamah, should always scrutinize all SRC financial transactions to ensure that procedures and the SRC constitution are followed effectively.

5.All capital expenditures should receive key management written approval before they are embarked on.

6.Management may constitute a committee to further investigate the Dean of Students Dr. Peter Boamah’s alleged failure to supervise procurement procedures and due diligence in the purchase of the vehicle in accordance with statute 45 of the Polytechnic.

Nonetheless, these recommendations are subject to the academic board’s approval and implementation.