Police, students clash at Tamale Technical University protest
A demonstration organised by students of Tamale Technical University (TaTU) on Monday ended in violent clashes with police, leaving several students injured and requiring medical attention.
The protest, led by the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) and the Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana (GRASAG), was intended to draw attention to deteriorating campus infrastructure and delays in the release of student funds.
What began as a peaceful march quickly descended into chaos following police intervention.
Students said they were voicing long-standing frustrations over poor learning conditions, including overcrowded lecture halls, dilapidated hostel facilities and the non-disbursement of levies paid for development and welfare services.
Musa Mahmudu, Associate Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the student leadership, said the protest was carefully planned to highlight the neglect of student needs.
“This is a university, not a primary school. We have paid fees and levies for years, development, sanitation, exams, medicals, but there is nothing to show for it. Lecture halls are in terrible condition, hostels look abandoned, yet students are charged over GHS1,200 plus additional dues,” he said.
Student leaders also accused university management of withholding SRC funds, which they claimed had paralysed key activities including student elections and the annual SRC Week celebration.
“At this point, we cannot even organise elections or settle outstanding payments to some of our lecturers,” Mr Mahmudu added.
Tensions escalated when police officers arrived to disperse the crowd.
Eyewitnesses alleged that officers charged at students without provocation, triggering confrontations that led to injuries. Several students were taken to nearby health centres for treatment.
Organisers of the protest said they had previously engaged university authorities on multiple occasions but received no concrete response. A formal petition has since been submitted to the Minister of Education, calling for urgent upgrades to campus infrastructure, transparency in the use of student levies and the immediate release of withheld SRC funds.
