Management of Koforidua Technical University has condemned the alleged production and sale of cannabis infused drinks and ice cream on its campus.
The University says while the seven students arrested in connection with the incident are presumed innocent until proven guilty, it will not shield anyone found to have breached its rules and regulations.
The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), on August 1, arrested ten persons suspected of producing and selling cannabis infused drinks and ice cream during the University’s SRC Week celebrations.
KTU Management says its verification has established that seven of the ten suspects are students at the institution.
The seven students, together with the three other suspects, are currently assisting NACOC with investigations in Accra.
The Public Relations Officer of the Koforidua Technical University MacLean Lovelace-Dodoo, says Management will allow the investigations to take their course while its own committee probes the alleged involvement of the students.
“Management got to know seven were our students. We are still trying to unravel what happened in order to get the specifics. A committee has been constituted to investigate and submit their recommendations. When the recommendations are submitted, we will get to know what really happened on that day. But at this material moment, we are unable to know whether those three external persons who were part of the arrest came to sell or they came to celebrate with the students or not.”
He explained that although the students are presumed innocent until proven guilty, those found culpable will face the University’s disciplinary measures, including suspension or dismissal, in accordance with its statutes and students’ handbook.
“Such acts, even though allegedly, are not entertained by the University. They are considered as misconduct of students and it is stated in the student handbook, Article 15 Section VI, that students are not supposed to indulge in fraudulent criminal activities. When they do so, the requisite sanctions may apply, which include suspension and even them being asked to leave the University entirely.”
He added that the University’s governance instruments will guide any action to be taken after the investigations.
“Two things, the University has governance instruments. One is the statute that governs the staff and students, and the other one is the student handbook. So what will happen when the investigations are completed, we would invoke the provisions in the statute and the student handbook.”
In the interim, all SRC related activities have been suspended until the investigations are concluded.”In the meantime, what the University has done is to ban all SRC related activities so that we can sanitise a safe environment for teaching and learning to go on.”
The alleged conduct, if established, could amount to breaches of the Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020, which regulates activities involving narcotic drugs, including unlawful possession, production, distribution and sale.
Meanwhile, the Narcotics Control Commission has warned students to stay away from drug related activities or face the full rigours of the law.
Principal Narcotics Control Officer for the Eastern Regional Command, Philomena Obenewaa Sackar, cautioned students against consuming cannabis-infused products, stressing that ignorance of the law is not an excuse.
“Most of them get into it ignorantly. Let me use this opportunity to tell all my tertiary students especially, that any form of infused drink is illegal if the infusion is with cannabis. So when we come, whether you were buying, selling, it is illegal. Take note, they lure you in freely. Someone will buy it for you, you drink it, you get addicted, and by the time you realise, you are now buying it with your own money.”
By Yvonne Neequaye
