A demonstration by students of Tamale Technical University (TaTU) has turned chaotic after police reportedly used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters, leaving at least four students injured.
The incident occurred on Monday during a joint demonstration organised by the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) and the Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana (GRASAG).
The students were protesting what they described as financial mismanagement, poor accountability and inadequate services at the university. They are demanding an immediate forensic audit of the institution’s finances, particularly the management of internally generated funds (IGF).
Nurudeen Issahaku, the SRC Public Relations Officer, said the students believe fees paid for specific services are not being properly accounted for.
“We pay for medical services, sanitation in the hostels, examination fees, and development levies. Yet, there is a lack of accountability. We don’t see where the money goes,” an SRC executive told journalists.
The students also accused university management of increasing fees without adequate consultation while several essential services remain underfunded or dysfunctional.
Another major concern raised by the protesters is the delay in issuing certificates to graduates. According to the student leaders, two batches of graduates have yet to receive their certificates, a situation they say is affecting their ability to secure employment or pursue further education.
Issahaku also raised concerns about sanitation in the university’s hostels during interviews with GHOne TV and Starr FM correspondent Noah Nash Hoenyefia.
“The hygiene and sanitation in our hostel bathrooms, as well as the surrounding areas, leave much to be desired,” he claimed.
The student groups are petitioning the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, to appoint an independent and reputable audit firm to conduct a comprehensive forensic examination of the university’s finances.
“We believe that only an external audit can reveal the extent of financial mismanagement here and help save this institution from collapse,” Issahaku said.
According to the students, the audit would help establish how internally generated funds and other fees paid by students have been utilised.
The demonstration, however, took a different turn when personnel from the Northern Regional Police Command moved to disperse the protesters.
Eyewitnesses and some injured students told Noah Nash Hoenyefia that the police used tear gas and rubber bullets during the operation.
“We were demonstrating peacefully when, suddenly, the police began firing tear gas and shooting. People were running in all directions,” one protester, Musah, said.
At least four students sustained injuries and were taken to the Tamale Technical University Hospital for treatment.
A nurse at the facility reportedly told the media that most of the injured students were in stable condition and responding to treatment. The full extent of their injuries had not been disclosed, although the students attributed them to rubber bullets fired during the police response.
The incident has since triggered calls for an investigation into the conduct of the police.
Student representatives and civil society groups have questioned why force was used during the demonstration and called for the circumstances surrounding the incident to be established.
“This was an avoidable tragedy. The students were not violent. The question now is, who gave the order to fire?” said Issah Latifa, a representative of the Student Union.
The SRC and GRASAG are demanding an explanation from the Ghana Police Service and want disciplinary action taken against any officers found to have acted improperly.
They are also maintaining pressure on the university and the Ministry of Education over their financial and administrative concerns.
As of the publication of the report, the Ministry of Education had not issued an official response to the students’ petition or the events surrounding the demonstration.
The students, meanwhile, say they will continue pushing for greater transparency in the management of the university, improved welfare services and accountability over the use of funds paid by students.
