KNUST: Hall Week Procession Triggers Clash Between “Katanga” and “Conti” Halls

A Hall Week procession by some students of University Hall, popularly known as “Kantaga”, in front of the Unity Hall, also referred to as “Conti,” led to violent exchanges between members of the two halls on Thursday evening.

The two halls of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) have been on uneasy terms for many years.

According to reports, the members of the Unity Hall considered the procession by the University Hall in front of their entrance a trespass based on mutually agreed terms over the years.

This resulted in the pelting of stones by the Conti members, to which the Katanga members responded.

Video excerpts of the incidents on social media also showed Katanga members smashing a number of vehicles parked at the front of Conti Hall, damaging their windscreens and bodies in the process.

No casualties have been reported, but school authorities are yet to issue a statement on the disturbances.

The Police, who, according to them, had picked up intelligence early in the clashes, moved in to control the situation.

Meanwhile, following Thursday’s disturbances, the Ghana Police Service has revealed that peace has returned to the KNUST campus.

“The police have restored calm on the campus of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology following violent clashes between students of the Katanga and Unity Halls of the University.”

This is the second time in almost two weeks that students at two major universities have engaged in fighting. Last week, there was a similar clash between Commonwealth and Mensah Sarbah Halls of the University of Ghana, which left several properties destroyed.

A committee set up by the management of the premier university recommended, among other things, the removal of the Hall Master and Senior Hall Tutor of Commonwealth—a decision which residents of the hall continue to protest.