Journalists in Kumasi, the Ashanti regional capital, have threatened to boycott events organized by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) henceforth.

The media practitioners in Kumasi took the decision after the Vice Chancellor of the KNUST, Prof. William Otoo Ellis allegedly hurled at them.

The KNUST Vice Chancellor, according to reports, hurled insults at Luv FM’s Elton John Brobbey, who travelled to the campus of KNUST last Monday to cover the launch of a product for the Institute of Distance Learning by Vodafone Ghana Limited.

According to reports, the KNUST Vice Chancellor, upon arrival at the venue, asked the journalists present to identify themselves, so Elton Brobbey raised his hand.

Prof. Otoo Ellis reportedly insulted Elton John Brobbey in the full glare of KNUST officials, visitors and other journalists at the event.

The KNUST Vice Chancellor reportedly took that weird action because he was unhappy with the recent reportage about his school by Luv FM, an affiliate of the Multi Media Group.

Though Elton did not utter a word, the KNUST Vice Chancellor reportedly described journalists as illiterates.

Prof. Otoo Ellis, whose conduct surprised the gathering, stated emphatically that KNUST, as an institution, could survive without the help of the media so journalists could decide to stay away from the school.

The supposed pronouncement of the Vice Chancellor has angered media practitioners in Kumasi who have vowed to boycott the activities of the institution, DAILY GUIDE can confirm.

Most of the journalists told the paper that the decision was to show solidarity with their colleague, Elton John Brobbey and protest against Prof. Ellis’ intention to impugn their integrity.

The angry journalists however stated that though they would not accept any invitation to cover events at the KNUST, they would not hesitate to write about any bad incident that happens in the university.

According to them, the KNUST is a public institution and therefore he cannot prevent them from discharging their legitimate duties.

Meanwhile, the Ashanti Regional branch of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) is expected to officially respond to what it termed as “alleged derogatory remarks about journalists by the KNUST Vice Chancellor” today, Monday, March 5, 2012.

The GJA has summoned an emergency meeting at the Ghana News Agency (GNA) office at the COCOBOD building at Adum, Kumasi at 5pm on Monday during which the association would officially respond to the outburst of the KNUST Vice Chancellor.

A text message sent to media practitioners by the Ashanti Regional GJA President, Nana Yaw Osei said “you are invited to an urgent meeting of journalists in the region to deliberate on the alleged derogatory remarks about journalists by the KNUST Vice Chancellor.”

Nana Yaw Osei advised members of the association in the region to attend the meeting.