General News of Tuesday, 14 September 1999

Source: Reuters

University of Ghana shut over unrest

ACCRA, Sept 14 (Reuters)

Authorities closed the University of Ghana on Tuesady and ordered students to vacate the campus in the capital Accra following nearly a week of unrest there.

A statement by the registrar said all students were to leave the campus by 6.00 p.m. (1800 GMT). It gave no reopening date.

``Any student found on the campus after that time would be deemed to be trespassing and will be forcibly ejected. Foreign students are exempted from this arrangement and are, therefore, expected to prove their identity on demand,'' it added.

Students of the university began an indefinite boycott of lectures last Wednesday to press demands for the suspension of higher university fees announced by the government.

They have been holding meetings and marching on campus, chasing out colleagues, who were in lecture halls.

The statement said there had also been cases of kidnapping.