Police attack protesting Tamale Technical University students over rising fees

Tensions reached a boiling point on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, when scores of students of Tamale Technical University (TaTU) clashed with police during a protest against the school’s management.

The demonstration, which began as a peaceful march, escalated into violence, leaving several students injured and some arrested.

The students took to the streets to express their frustration over what they describe as years of neglect, mismanagement of school funds, and an unjustifiable increase in fees.

Many blocked entry roads leading to the campus, chanting slogans and demanding immediate reforms.

According to student leaders, one of the central grievances is the development levy included in their fees.

They claim the levy has been collected for years without any visible projects to justify the expenditure.

“We pay every year, but nothing changes on campus. No new lecture halls, no hostels, not even improved laboratories. Where is the money going?” one aggrieved student told reporters.

The police, who had been deployed to control the crowd, engaged in heated exchanges with the demonstrators. Video footage circulating on social media shows a scuffle between a policeman and a student, further stoking anger among the protestors.

Some students accused security officers of using excessive force, while police officials insist they were only maintaining law and order.

This latest protest is unfolding against the backdrop of a controversial government policy known as the “No-Fee Stress Policy.”

Introduced by the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) earlier this year, the initiative promised first-year tertiary students exemption from tuition fees.

However, its rollout has been widely criticized as ineffective.

Initially touted as a universal policy, it was later revised into a refund system requiring students to apply through the Student Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) portal.