Relentlessly the lives we live as human beings as well as students have been mated with another series of altercations and yet nothing seems to be happening.
The attention of the SRC of UDS Navrongo Campus was drawn to the gruesome and inhumane attack by the taxi drivers in Navrongo on the SRC shuttle which is meant to convey students TO and FRO campus.
This current onslaught happens to be the second attack on the shuttle unlawfully,when the SRC bought the shuttle, a consensus was mutually agreed by the taxi driver’s leaders as well as the SRC explicitly asseverating the conditions under which the shuttle will operate.
But these drivers have persistently despoiled the agreement trying to prevent the shuttle from operating. We as Students have followed the agreement reached as law abiding as we are.
The said agreement was revised to suit their interest even though, they brought their demands, we agreed and they refused to sign. But in ensuring peaceful co-existence, we abided by their concerns. Their insatiable quest for exploitation seems to be taken a colossal effect on them.
The Recent epoch which has left everybody in the university community gaping for oxygen was when the shuttle was attacked with students inside. The tires of the shuttle were completely deflated , the doors were pull down, stones were been used to knock the shuttle carelessly, students had to run for their lives, the driver was threatened of being killed, the SRC president was also threatened including a few SRC executives.
This act is in total contravention of the 1992 constitution of the republic of Ghana,chapter 5, Article 13, clause 1. Students are currently living with fear of being attacked and Academic work has been stalled.
The reasons, the Taxi Drivers gave is that; the shuttle has taken their customers,meanwhile, the shuttle picks only UDS students at a reduced cost and not just anybody. The transportation condition in Navrongo is not salutary, after 6:00pm the taxi drivers are forced to pick 6 people instead of 4 people at a high cost. This over exploitation is their reasons for these attacks. But the question is; should they take the law into their own hands? Should they burn down the shuttle?
When the incident was reported to the police, all they could say was “go and settle the matter with these drivers”. This assertion defeated the purpose of the service which has been clearly stated in the 1992 constitution of the republic of Ghana,Chapter 15, Article 200, clause 3, which is performing the traditional role of maintaining Law and Order.
Till now, no single arrest has been made and the police seem not to worry about the whole situation, this further gives credence for the perpetrators to continue their manhandling of students.
We are calling on the Government to look at this issue with much seriousness it deserves, today the students are been attacked in the shuttle with stones, next time could be fire or machetes which could lead to loss of lives of students who patronize the shuttle.
This panic has made it difficult and unsafe for students to move freely from campus to Navrongo Township, specifically with the shuttle and hence hindering academic excellence.
SRC UDS NAVRONGO CANPUS
SIGNED BY;
ANTHONY ACQUAYE (SRC PRESIDENT)
ANTHONY ABAVELIM ( SRC SECRETARY)
