Of What Relevance Is A Toll Booth To National Security? Former UG Vice Chancellor Quizzes

A Former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana has voiced concern over the "military" action taken by National Security to reduce to a pile of debris, structures at the University of Ghana, and wonders if the country was back "to the days of instant justice". Prof Kwesi Yankah, who is the current President of the Central University College (CUC), wants to know the relevance of toll booths to National Security. Officials from Col Larry Gbevlo Lartey's office undertook a dawn operation on Tuesday pulling down a toll booth at the Okponglo entry point of the university, saying it was wrongfully sited. The action has been roundly condemned with some saying it was unlawful on the part of National Security to enter into the property of a semi-autonomous institution, albeit a public one, and pull down structures without a court order. Clearly horrified at the heap of concrete rubble piled up at the Okponglo entrance of the University, Pro Yankah, commenting on the matter on his facebook wall, said the unlawful exercise was reminiscent of the military days. "I just returned from the Legon campus, and saw to my horror, a heap of concrete rubble, piled up at the Okponglo entrance of the University....passers-by were peering in consternation. Was this an act of God? An over-zealous AMA at work?...I later read a warning message from Col. Gbevlo Lartey, the Security Coordinator: IF LEGON DARES TO RAISE THE STRUCTURE, IT WILL BE DEMOLISHED AGAIN!...That does not sound like the democratic Ghana we all knew," he wrote on his facebook wall. Read Prof Yankah's Full Comment On His Facebook Wall Below Welcoming back the military I just returned from the Legon campus, and saw to my horror, a heap of concrete rubble, piled up at the Okponglo entrance of the University. Small crowds had stopped to look, and passers-by were peering in consternation. Was this an act of God? An over-zealous AMA at work? Then I heard whispers. Apparently, a demolition squad had been at work at the dawn of Monday. They had worked at it early morning, and reduced the new toll booth to a pile of debris. I later read a warning message from Col. Gbevlo Lartey, the Security Coordinator: if Legon dares to raise the structure, it will be demolished again! That does not sound like the democratic Ghana we all knew. Where did we lose the charming courtesies in dialogue, compromise, and respect for the rule of law? Of what relevance is a toll booth to national security? Are we back to the days of instant justice? Come on Ghana. Is anybody in control?