KNUST sued over decision to convert Unity Hall

Alumni of Unity Hall of KNUST, Old Continentals Association and current Junior Common Room Executives, are seeking a court injunction restraining the university from converting the all-male hall to unisex.

Though a female student is yet to be allocated the hall, the alumni together with hall executives are suing the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Obiri Danso, Chairman of the University Council and Hall master of Unity Hall.

The action comes after school authorities in January this year revealed plans to convert Unity Hall and University Hall, popularly known as Katanga into mixed halls.

The university has already allocated nine continuing female students to rival University Hall in the first batch of students assigned residential status.

Unity Hall on the other side is yet to receive any female students.

The plaintiffs in a writ say they are acting on the declaration made that the decision to convert the all-male hall to mixed will commence in the next academic year.

Standing on the law and regulation that established the Hall in 1967, the groups are seeking the following reliefs:

"A declaration that Unity Hall and Africa Hall were established expressly as all-male and all-female hall of residence respectfully on KNUST campus under specific regulations and laws and stand on the same harizon to enjoy the same classic reasoning for their establishment.

"A declaration that Unity Hall , just like -Africa Hall, was envisaged by the University's forebearers for a Continental remembrance, hence, the full name of the hall being, 'Continental Unity Hall', and so its character and nature as an all-male hall of residence, must be left to stand as an all female hall of residence, as this entire vision adds to the uniqueness of the institution. And that seeking to alter the nature of only Unity Hall is discriminatory.

"A declaration that Unity Hall having been expressly so established under a specific regulation and law, the defendants or their successors cannot alter the character and nature of Unity Hall as an all-male hall, unless empowered to do same by a regulation and law.

"A perpetual injunction restraining the defendants or their successors from ever attempting to alter the character and nature of Unity Hall as an all-male hall to a mixed sex hall," and

"Cost and any other order(s) this Honourable Court may deem fit".

Source: myjoyonline.com