Katanga hall is not conducive for girls – Alumni

The Alumni of University Hall, also known as Katanga, at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has said that females may face harsh academic conditions if they are brought to the all-male hall.

The Greater Accra Press Secretary of the University Hall Alumni, Raymond Laud told Accra-based Citi FM that they cannot guarantee the security of the females sent to the hall even though the university plans on ensuring they are safe.

“If you send girls there, you are saying you going to provide them with security. Why would you provide them security? It is because you know they will not be okay?”

“Do you think they will have the sound mind to be in Katanga to study?” Mr. Laud also questioned.

“This is a long-standing culture. These are long-standing values that people have shared. It is folklore. It is a tradition you must maintain.”

Mr. Laud added that if the university authorities succeed in converting Katanga into a mixed hall it will kill its culture of advocacy.

“It is only Katanga that advocated for students rights,” he said.

“We are of the view that once you mix the boys with women, there will be silence… when have you heard that Independence Hall, or Republic Hall or Queen Elizabeth Hall have come out to agitate on something? They don’t.”

The alumni teamed up with Old Continentals Association and current Junior Common Room Executives, to seek a court order to restrain the University from going ahead with plans of the conversion.

They have, therefore, dragged Vice Chancellor, Prof. Obiri Danso – who serves as Chairman of the University Council and Hall master of Unity Hall – to court.

The alumni and hall executives opted to head to court after school authorities announced in January plans to convert Unity Hall and University Hall, popularly known as Katanga, into mixed halls.