Recent reports of bloody clashes between students of three of Ghana’s major universities have raised concerns about the violent behaviour of young people, who the nation is investing in, with the hope that they will become admirable future leaders.  

Inter-hall rivalry incidents seem to have become rampant in recent times. Last October, the matriculation ceremony of the University of Ghana descended into chaos when residents of the Mensah-Sarbah and Commonwealth Halls clashed.

Similarly, two students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) were stabbed early 2016 during a fight between University Hall and Unity Hall residents of the University of Cape Coast (UCC).

Two years ago, clashes between students of the St. Paul’s Senior High School and the police in Denu in the Volta Region, resulted in the death of one student. 

In July 2015, three Senior High Schools in the Northern Region were closed down after students clashed with school authorities.

Also, the Labone Senior High School in Accra had to be closed down for some time in December 2001 following violent clashes between students of the school and those of St Thomas Aquinas Senior High School.

Last year, the beauty of the annual Joy Fm Old Skuuls reunion, which seeks to bring together students from across the country to relive their glorious school days, was nearly marred when some university students from competing halls chose to settle scores through violence.

Aside from the display of nudity and substance abuse, such violent incidents leave a lot to be desired. 

Should these inter-hall rivalries be encouraged? How long will authorities look on while students destroy school properties costing millions of Cedis? Can the future of Ghana be entrusted into the hands of thugs? Or are we just waiting to record fatalities before taking action? 

It appears now is the time to have a national discourse to resolve this serious problem.