Old Vandals Spit Fire

Alhaji Razak El Alawa (standing), media liaison of OVA at the press conference. With him are (from L-R) Kwaku Bram Larbi, Kwame Takyi, John Mbroh, Isaac Nketia Sarpong and Kofi Abogah


By William Yaw Owusu

Tuesday May 11, 2010
The Old Vandals Association (OVA) of the Commonwealth Hall of the University of Ghana has broken its silence, calling on the university authorities to “suspend immediately the decision to make the hall a mixed gender, post graduate hall.”

They however could not tell what they would do if the university authorities proceeded to implement the decision.

Since the Executive Committee of the university took the decision to close down the Commonwealth Hall also known as Vandal City and convert it into a mixed gender and graduate hall, there have been several protestations particularly from current students of the hall.

Sensing that the university authorities is bent on implementing the decision, beginning 2010/2011 academic year, the OVA which is the alumni of the Commonwealth Hall has come out strongly to object to the decision.

At an emotionally charged news conference in Accra yesterday, Alhaji Razak El Alawa, moderator of the conference said “there is something fishy in the decision. There is a gang up by those who are not products of the great hall but are in positions of authority and want to use their positions to emasculate the Vandals.”

He said “we want the university authorities to know that we are not happy about the decision. We are not challenging their authority but we strongly object to that decision,”

Outlining steps taken so far to get the decision reversed, John Mbroh, Acting President of the Old Vandals Association said the Old Vandals acted with expediency by rendering an unqualified apology to dignitaries at the March 13, congregation of the university when news got to them that some students had disrupted the congregation and had caused embarrassment to the dignitaries.

He said they stated in the apology letter that that the apology rendered was without prejudice to any disciplinary action which the university might take against those who would be identified as taking part in the disruption of the congregation.

“After our letter, our attention was drawn to a pronouncement that it had been decided on April 28, 2010 among other things, to convert Commonwealth Hall into a graduate hall and will admit both male and female students. It is worth noting that the said announcement was made on Radio Universe by no less a person than Prof. Kwesi Yankah, the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the university”

Mr. Mbroh said that the Disciplinary Committee of the university had been sitting over the disruption of the congregation and was yet to conclude its investigations and submit its report saying “OVA finds it strange and unacceptable that the whole of the Commonwealth Hall including porters is being made to suffer for actions, the subject of which is still under investigations.”

“We have it on authority that the chairman of the Residence Board in the person of Prof. Kwesi Yankah, the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the university had sadly enough stated that the matter was meant only for information and implementation, and not for discussion.”

Mr. Mbroh said the students themselves have taken certain steps including a meeting with Vice President John Dramani and a peaceful procession to get the decision overturned and the OVA had been counseling them on the need to use dialogue to resolve the matter.

“We as OVA do not condone indiscipline, unruly and riotous behaviour as well as any other form of untoward conduct. We however believe that as alumni and stakeholders of the University of Ghana, we ought to have at least been consulted before any such decision to make Commonwealth Hall a mix gender, graduate hall was taken.”

He called on former United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan who is the Chancellor of the university, the government, media and the public to intervene in the matter, saying “we pledge to work with the university authorities towards maintaining standards of discipline and excellence at the university.”

Asked what they would do if the university authorities went ahead to enforce the decision, Mr. Mbroh said “we will stand on this appeal for now. When we get to the river we will know how to cross it.”

During questions and answers, Kwaku Bram-Larbi, a legal practitioner and an old Vandal said “we want the status quo to remain. We would not mind bringing in graduate students but not women.”

“The university authorities are trying to visit past sins upon the present students. They are giving the dog a terrible name to hang it.”

After the news conference, the Old Vandals who were later joined by current students at the Ghana International Press Center chanted and sang some of the hall’s notable slogans.

Also see: www.dailyguideghana.com