The Cape Coast Polytechnic Association and the Coalition of Central Region Youth groups have staged a demonstration to register their displeasure over the non-inclusion of the polytechnic in the first phase of the polytechnics to be converted into technical universities.
The groups together with some lecturers and workers of Polytechnic who were clad in red and black and chanted war songs blocked the main entrance to the school.
The aggrieved groups who enjoyed massive support from some workers, market women, and residents from Abura and other nearby communities, refused to allow any vehicle to enter the campus from about 0630hours until around 1030hours.
The demonstration, which was calculated to coincide with the Polytechnic’s Council meeting, worked to make an impact as Members, including the Rector, the Vice and others, who were attending the meeting were made to walk more than 100 metres from the gate to the Administration Block because the group refused their vehicles entry.
The Queen mother of Mankessim and President of the Central Regional Queen mothers’ Association, Nana Ama Amissah, III who were also attending the meeting had to walk to the venue.
Dr. Don Arthur, the Chairman of the Council, was delayed at the gate for almost an hour, before he was granted passage, and this was even after he had accepted a petition from them.
Police officers from the Central Regional Police Command were dispatched to the campus to ensure order.
President John Mahama in his State of the Nation address last Thursday, listed six Polytechnics for the first phase of the conversion of polytechnics into technical universities in September but C-Poly was missing on the list.
This ,the group disagreed since according to them, the polytechnic ranked sixth in the report of a Technical Committee set up by the National Council for Tertiary Education ( NTCE), in July last year.
Their demonstration comes after several appeals to the Government via petitions and media conferences to ensure transparency in the selection process since they claim the polytechnic had been treated unfairly.
The NTCE has said the selection process was flawless.
At a point, the coalition threatened a legal action against the NTCE, if a tangible explanation was not given.
The coalition is made up of the Central Region Youth for Development, Fante Students’ Association, Concerned Youth of Cape Coast North, Cape Coast Development Association, Abura Youth Confederacy and Ghana Muslim Students Alumni.
The School is, however, expected to reopen this weekend.
Source: GNA
