CJ urged to investigate Winneba High Court for 'bastardising' UEW

The Principal of the College of Languages Education of the University of Winneba (UEW) in the Central Region, Professor Ephraim Avea Nsoh, has appealed to the Chief Justice to investigate the Winneba High Court proceeding of June 13, that placed an injunction on the university.

Prof. Nsoh said the university had been “bastardised” as a result of the court orders, adding that “academic and administrative activities are disabled.”

“All decisions of the UEW, during these trying times must be taken with utmost care,” Prof. Nsoh cautioned.

Although the judge is reported not to have issued any injunction, in a suit brought before it by Supi Kofi Kwayera, a citizen of Winneba, Prof. Nsoh, in a lecture at the South Campus on Wednesday said, there has been an injunction on the university.

Drama unfolded on the campus when the members of the university community were prevented access to the J.N Ayitey Auditorium, where the programme was scheduled to take place at 5:00 p.m. by the security personnel on “orders from above,” forcing the lectures to be held in front of the building in the darkness.

The Principal of the College of Languages Education of the UEW, said projects which were being undertaken to secure a guaranteed pension for retiring staff had been stalled, pointing out that the bankers had withdrawn their interest.

Mr Kwayera has filed a suit in court requesting, among other reliefs, for the court to grant injunction barring the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Mawutor Avoke and the Finance Officer, Dr Theophilus Ackorli, from performing duties as appointed by the defacto council, until final determination of the suit before it.

Following the court orders, the Pro Vice Chancellor, Reverend Father Prof. Afful-Broni, is said to be in acting position which has also been drawn into controversy.

The Principal of the College of Education said the action by plaintiff was an attempt “to undermine…and expose the university to governmental control…we must resist it legally.”

Prof. Nsoh who christened his lectures “Making Sense of the UEW Court Case: Perspective of an Insider” said, it was an intellectual exercise meant for the university community to “exercise their academic freedom” by bringing the issues “home” for debate and critique, as opposed to the “radio hopping”, in apparent reference to the counsel for the Plaintiff, Alexander Afenyo Markins, Member of Parliament for Effutu.

“We are the authorities of UEW, we should be talking about the issues pertaining to the university, people should be asking us for the true information,” he said.

Displaying documentary evidence, the university don said he had attended and followed proceedings of the court and that the lecture was “an intellectual exercise, information giving exercise” taking exception to the insults and the venom in a section of the media.

He ruled out any contempt, stating that he had tried to confine himself to what the judge said in open court stressing “what the judge has said, I have the right to comment on it, it is like me writing a book and someone critique and tears it apart.”

Prof. Nsoh also expressed concern over ethnic and political sentiments creeping into the affairs of the university and urged the university community to remain united and resolute to protect and defend the brand and image of the university.