Ghana's government has asked the vice-chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Knust), Professor Obiri Danso, to step aside following violent protests a week ago.

Deputy Education Minister Osei Adutwum confirmed the news to Accra-based radio station Star FM

The trouble started at Knust, in Ghana’s second largest city of Kumasi, two weeks ago after 11 students were arrested by police for taking part in their usual end-of-week party, known as a jamboree, which the university authorities had recently banned.

Planned peaceful protests against the arrests turned violent resulting in the indefinite closure of the university last Tuesday. The university’s governing council was also dissolved.

The University Teachers Association of Ghana (Utag) at Knust have embarked on an indefinite strike arguing government’s dissolution of the governing council amounts to interference of tertiary education which is supposed to be autonomous.

Some experts say that the government’s removal of the vice chancellor could plunge the university, and by extension Ghanaian tertiary education into crisis, if the union action spreads.