Outrage as government snubs ‘Conti’ in Katanga reversal letter

There’s anger from former residents of Unity Hall (Conti) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) after a government letter “prevailing” on the authorities of the University to reverse University Hall back to an exclusive male residence conspicuously left them out.

Former residents of the hall took to Twitter to express their displeasure at being left out in the government’s letter.

“NAPO [Education Minister] Conti made you…don’t be a sellout…Don’t be ungrateful” one user wrote.

“Obedient is better sacrifice but in the continental land will rather choose sacrifice over obedient when the takes actions to accept the fact…Conti forever male hall, another wrote.

Similar sentiments have poured in after the government’s decision came public.

A letter from the Education Ministry to KNUST’s governing council said “The attention of the Ministry has been drawn to the brewing and simmering tension at the campus of KNUST…the root cause of the situation referred to above is the conversion of University Hall [Katanga], a male hall of residence to a mixed hall.

The letter added that the government’s position is that Katanga remains a male hall of residence.

Katanga was converted alongside Unity Hall – also male-only hall – and Queen Elizabeth which was an exclusive female residence at the beginning of the 2018/2019 academic year.

The authorities said the reason for converting all the halls to unisex was to create space for females amid growing population.

The decision was, however, received with grudge by residents and alumni of the all-male halls; many of whom staged multiple protest marches.

Some alumni also dragged the university to court. The protestors claim the single-sex status of the halls is a tradition and must not be altered.

Source: Myjoyonline.com