Calm has been restored at the Tamale Technical University (TaTU) after a violent student protest that started on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, escalated into clashes with police officers, leaving six people injured.
The confrontation, sparked by grievances over fees and welfare issues, has since drawn national attention and condemnation from political groups.
According to the Northern Regional Police Command, nearly 500 students gathered at the administration block, voicing their anger over alleged financial mismanagement, fee hikes, and neglect of student welfare.
Demonstrators carried placards with inscriptions such as “Director of Finance Must Go” and “Fix TaTU Now” as they marched from their hostels to the heart of campus administration.
Police reported that students set tyres ablaze at key points on campus, escalating tensions further. A police team led by Superintendent Richard Lantei Odartey was dispatched to control the situation. However, matters deteriorated when officers fired warning shots and used hot water to disperse the crowd.
“Students began pelting stones at officers, leaving three students and three policemen injured,” the police said. All those hurt were taken to hospital for treatment. The police confirmed that no school property or facilities were destroyed in the unrest, though security reinforcement has since been stationed on campus to prevent a recurrence.
Central to the students’ demands were accusations that university management sidelined both the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) and the Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana (GRASAG) in fee-setting processes. They further alleged deliberate delays in the release of SRC funds, undermining student leadership.
GRASAG President Abdul Ganiwu Inusah accused management of misusing Internally Generated Funds (IGF). He called for immediate intervention from the Ministry of Education to address what he described as a deepening crisis.
“The Ministry of Education must order a forensic audit of the university’s finances,” Inusah demanded, stressing that no fee hikes should take effect until the audit is completed.
SRC PRO Mahamud Musah also voiced frustration, alleging that management was intentionally weakening student leadership structures. He urged stakeholders to step in urgently before tensions worsen.
Political Condemnation
The violent clashes have attracted sharp criticism from political organizations. The National Youth Wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) described the actions of police during the protest as excessive and unjustifiable.
In a statement signed by National Youth Organizer Salam Mustapha, the group said: “The use of force against students is absolutely unacceptable, undemocratic, and deserving of outright condemnation.”
The youth wing urged the Inspector-General of Police to ensure accountability for what it termed “sordid and despicable violence,” warning that Ghana’s democracy is at risk if young people are brutalized while exercising their rights.
While calm has returned to the TaTU campus, uncertainty lingers among the student body as questions over fees, accountability, and welfare remain unresolved. Police say they are monitoring the situation closely, while student leaders insist that further protests cannot be ruled out if their concerns are ignored.
The government, which has faced pressure to address unrest across educational institutions, is yet to issue a direct statement on the Tamale incident. However, calls for transparency and reforms in university financial management are mounting, with demands for a forensic audit now central to the debate.
The clashes have once again highlighted the fragile balance between student activism, institutional management, and state security enforcement, underscoring the need for dialogue and accountability to avert similar confrontations in the future.
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