A coalition of students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) is demanding the immediate resignation of the President of the University’s Students’ Representative Council.

The call follows alleged deceitful and fraudulent acts perpetrated by the SRC President, Michael Abuah, including some corruption accusations leveled against him.

The student leader has in recent times been accused of hoodwinking the student body into believing he embarked on an educational trip to South Africa with some SRC executives. 

But, it later emerged the President did not travel with the group, which he admittedly stated was due to some inconveniences.  

The coalition consisting of students affiliated with two residential halls of the University, University Hall (Katanga) and Unity Hall (Continentals) describes the actions of the President as one denting the image of the University.

In a joint statement, the students are demanding that the President resigns from office by August 3, 2022. 

“Based on the recent corruption cases levelled against the SRC President, we demand that Mr Abuah Michael resigns from office by the 3rd of August, 2022 since his actions have put the dignity of the student body and this noble institution into disrepute as you always put it. 

“Other cases such as the fraudulent acts of the SRC President and his executive body which includes not only the SRC hostel saga but also alleged rape cases are known to have been taken up by the office of the Director of Students Affairs for which no punishment was meted,” portions of the statement read. 

Recent allegations expounded on social media revealed an approved amount of GHC42,000 was allocated for the trip to South Africa. 

A letter from the Deputy Director of Students Affairs, sighted by Luv News, demanded that the President who was unable to join the trip refunded an amount of GHC9,100. 
 
However, Luv News sources revealed Michael Abuah is yet to refund the said amount.
 
“The Directorate of Students’ Affairs under the authority of the Director approved an amount of GHC9,100 for your educational and leadership trip to South Africa as requested by the South African Union of Students (SAUS) in collaboration with the University Students Association of Ghana ( USAG). 
 
“Investigation, your personal testimony and handwritten statements have proven that you did not embark on the trip. You are by this letter instructed to refund the amount of GHC9,100 by close of Friday, July 22, 2022 without fail,” the statement read.
 
Adding their voice to calls, the “concerned KATANENTALS” are demanding evidence of the refund, should the SRC President make the said repayments. 
 
“USAG charged the SRC president, Mr Abuah Michael, to refund an amount of GHC9100 which he took in the name of a trip to South Africa. Mr President himself admits to not embarking on the journey and must therefore refund this amount stated. We demand evidence of the refund of the amount stated above by the 2nd of August, 2022,” they stated.

Meanwhile, the group is asking the Students Affairs Directorate of the University to rethink its decision to centralize students’ funds and interference in student elections. 

They argue the stance taken by the office is hampering student activities and demands the Director disengages from student elections.

“The consolidation of student funds in a central account does not give our student leaders the freedom to execute and work to the satisfaction of the school. Why would the Director of Students Affairs be interested in student funds?

“Student election has and should always be organized and controlled by student leaders. Why then do we see the Director of Students Affairs involving himself in these elections to the extent of selling electoral forms at the DoSA account office? The Electoral Commission needs the utmost privacy it deserves. Please step aside Mr. Director,” the statement read. 

The group says they will be waiting for answers on August 5, 2022, from the office of student affairs directorate.

They hint at staging a peaceful march should their concerns not be addressed on the slated date.

Meanwhile, the beleaguered SRC President, Michael Abuah, says he has submitted himself to internal auditing under the current circumstances.