Residents of Somanya, Odumase and its environs Thursday hit the streets to demonstrate over reports that government wants to relocate the main campus of the University of Energy and Sustainable Development (UESD).

Members of the United Krobo Foundation say they are worried by the signs they have seen that government is rescinding its earlier decision to site the main campus at Somanya and rather site it at Bunso.

Secretary of the group, Joshua Ogbojor told the media that per the documents they have sighted, the government plans to build the main administration block, the Vice Chancellor’s residence and other salient infrastructure at Bunso, a move they are vehemently opposed to.

“The main campus of a university should have the main administration block, the auditorium and the Vice Chancellors Residence but they’re all going to Bunso. So we just want to bring them back and there will be peace, if not we are going to speak out,” he told Joy News.

The group marched through the streets of Odumase, the capital of the Lower Manya Krobo District and presented their petition to the President through the District Chief Executive.

They did same in the Yilo Krobo District capital, Somanya. Joy News’ Kofi Siaw reported that the demonstrators want President Akufo-Addo to show interest and make sure the "impending relocation" is not done.

Irrational fears?

Prior to Thursday’s demonstration, Education Minister, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh had allayed the concerns that the Akufo-Addo government intends to change the main campus of the university.

He said that the contract entered into by the erstwhile John Mahama government is what they are implementing.

 Education Minister, Matthew Opoku Prempeh

“I must put on record that that has not changed and it will never change. Government of Ghana has not taken a single building outside Somanya…” he stated.

He added that the matter was raised on the floor of Parliament and the documents were submitted and in punned out that “not a single dot” was changed in the contract.