On Tuesday morning, June 3, 2025, the streets of Sumbrungu echoed with chants and the determined footsteps of its residents. Apexnewsgh reports
Armed with placards and unwavering resolve, the host community of Bolgatanga Technical University (BTU) marched to demand justice after years of perceived neglect and disrespect from the university’s leadership.
At the heart of the protest was Mr. Albert Adongo, President of the Sumbrungu Youth Association, who stood before the Upper East Regional Minister, traditional leaders, and media representatives to deliver a powerful petition. His voice carried the weight of a community pushed to its limits.
“We stand here not with anger, but with deep disappointment”, the Youth leader declared. “Our forefathers gave their land in trust, believing BTU would bring progress—not betrayal.”
The grievances were many. A 2013 agreement, where BTU pledged to purchase 440 plots of land at GH¢2,000 each for expansion, had been abandoned. Despite landowners opening bank accounts as requested, not a single payment was made. A decade later, when the community pushed for fairness, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Samuel Erasmus Alnaa offered an insulting compromise: the same outdated price, spread over ten years. 
“He treats us as if we are fools,” one elder muttered. “Our land is worth far more, yet we asked only for GH¢2,500—a fraction of its true value—for the sake of development.”
Worse still, rumors swirled that BTU might relocate its expansion project elsewhere, rendering Sumbrungu’s sacrifice meaningless.
The community’s frustrations didn’t end there. A stinking, mosquito-infested gutter ran from the university into Sumbrungu, ignored for years despite complaints. “Is this how a university treats its host?” a woman in the crowd shouted.
Traditional leaders, once respected partners, now found themselves sidelined—summoned like subordinates, their authority undermined. Meanwhile, job opportunities promised to locals were vanishing. Of over 70 menial workers at BTU, only 17 were from Sumbrungu. Even when a community member retired or passed, their replacement was never a local.
“We have PhDs, degrees, yet our people are rejected,” Adongo lamented. “Why must we beg for what was promised?”
The community’s demands were clear:
- Fair employment – A quota system for Sumbrungu residents in all university jobs.
- Sanitation action – Immediate cleanup of the hazardous gutter.
- Land justice – Fair payment for their plots and a guarantee BTU won’t abandon their land.
- Management overhaul – Prof. Alnaa’s removal for restoring trust.
“We are patient, but we are not weak,” Adongo warned. “If our cries are ignored, we will take stronger action—legal, media, nationwide. This injustice ends now.”
As the crowd roared in agreement, the message was clear: Sumbrungu would no longer be silenced.
A community’s trust had been broken, but its spirit remained unshaken. The question now is whether BTU and the government listen, or face a storm they could no longer ignore?
Source: Apexnewsgh.com/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen
