“I make this call to all students of Ghana, they should resist the temptations coming from politicians and prevent them from infiltrating into their ranks,” he said.

His call comes amid the violent protests at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) where a peaceful demonstration turned violent at the university campus on Monday leading to the destruction of school and staff properties by the students and shutting down the university indefinitely with all students asked to go home with exception of foreign students.

According to Prof. Gyampo, “when the country was ushered into the Fourth Republic, politicians who were aware of the vibrant role that students had played, right from independence just decided to take advantage of student activism.

“They did that by going to the various university campuses to establish their branches for student bodies to be able to mobilise their support base for them but the hidden objective was to divide student ranks and front on partisan lines, once you succeed in dividing their front you are unable to get a critical mass of them who think alike.

“In the lead-up to the election of student executives, the same politicians will ensure they do not want an election of any executive who will come in to mobilise students against them, they sponsor campaigns, influence those who will get elected as student leaders to ensure that whoever is elected will be in bed with authorities with such tendencies destroying student activism.

“The university leadership should be mindful the country is not in dictatorship, since we’ve practised democracy for over 25 years, it has stayed with us for long, they should appreciate the dogmas of democratic tenets which also include dialogue and tolerance.

“Whatever decision they may formulate, it is important that they dialogue with students regarding its implementation so that there can be peace,” Prof Gyampo advised

–starrfmonline.com