Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof Ernest Aryeetey, has in a rare media encounter condemned government's claims that it had no knowledge about plans to toll roads on the university's campus.

Prof Aryeetey is particularly "shocked" at government's turnaround and lack of support for the initiative aimed, among other things, at generating revenue for the university.

The media-reserved professor  on Metro TV's 'Good Evening Ghana'  Thursday evening was reacting to the demolition of uncompleted structures which were going to be used as booths to levy users of roads within the university.

The demolition, which the university has described as "barbaric" was authorised by the National Security Coordinator, Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, who justified the action on grounds that the uncompleted structures were inappropriately sited.

 Mr Gbevlo-Lartey said the location of the booth was a threat to human security and created vehicular congestion.

The Academic Board of the University of Ghana, the second highest decision making body of the university has directed management to take legal action against the National Security Coordinator.

In the days leading to the demolition, there had been public outcry and condemnation of the university's levies on its roads. The university has explained, the tolls will help it pay for a loan it had contracted for infrastructural projects.

Government in a bid to restrain the university from charging the tolls, had met university authorities promising to absorb the payment of the loan taken by the university.

 But this did not stop the university from persisting in collecting the tolls.

Professor Aryeetey said the controversy and particularly the pulling down of the structures has "been a very difficult experience".

He said it was unfortunate "that the university could be attacked in this manner never before experienced ".

According to Prof Aryeetey, the university has been in constant dialogue with government since the inception of plans to rehabilitate and levy roads within the university that link parts of the Legon area.

He revealed that during a sod-cutting ceremony at the university campus to commence the rehabilitation and expansion of roads at the university, the Minister of Roads and Highways, Joe Gidisu, who was the guest of honour, "actually commended the University of Ghana for taking such a bold initiative".

He said the Department of Urban Roads did provide consultants to advise the university and further supervised the selection of contractors to do work.

"So it is certainly untrue that the Government of Ghana didn't know about this project. The Government of Ghana knew about it, the Government of Ghana advised us on how to do the roads. The government of Ghana helped us to identify contractors to the tender process", he reiterated.

"For me it's been a great shock that after all of these things we get accused of acting unilaterally", Professor Aryeetey lamented.

The tolls, Professor Aryeetey further explained, was aimed at reducing the traffic on roads at the university - a situation that was fast becoming a bother for students and staff of the university.

"The Ministry of Roads and Highways always knew that we wanted to create an alternative route and restrict access to Legon", he stated.

He explained that prior to the road levies, the university recorded as many as 16,000 vehicles passing through the its gates, but the number has halved since the tolling begun.

He however indicated that the university may reduce the charges on the tolls.

Two students of the university since the controversy have headed to the Supreme Court over the decision to levy the institution's roads. They are praying the Supreme Court to cause the university to stop the road tolls.

But Professor Aryeetey is unperturbed.

 "We believe that what we are doing is legitimate. We believe what we are doing is lawful. It is not for personal gain. It is not to make the life of anybody unbearable. It is the right thing to do because it is good for the university. And I do believe what is good for the university in the long run is good for Ghana".

He admitted however that perhaps the university could have improved public education about its intention to toll the roads before it begun.