Former GIMPA SRC president threatens to sue alma mater

A former Students Representative Council (SRC) President of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Joseph Osei Mensah, has threatened to sue his alma mater.

According to the 2018/19 SRC president, the school has failed to implement the recommendations of a committee that investigated him on grounds of embezzlement.

In a report by Myjoyonline.com, Osei Mensah accused the school of dragging its feet following his exoneration by the ad-hoc committee some three years ago.

He is wondering why the school has failed to clear his name after the allegation of financial impropriety caused his reputation to be muddied.

He is thus asking the school to take full steps to restore his reputation and that of the members of his administration lest he commences legal action against the school.

“I and the other executives have been very much affected by these baseless accusations.

“Unfortunately, Management, by all indications, has refused to publish the retraction and apology, which was the final recommendation to be implemented from their own Committee’s report.

“This, I find as a total disregard to us the persons involved. Hence, a court action might be the next option within the shortest possible time”, the former SRC President stated.

Joseph Osei Mensah and his executives, during the 2018/19 academic year, were accused by the then Dean of Students, Prof. Anthony Mawuli Sallar, of embezzling GH₵70,000 prior to the end of their tenure in office.

As a result of the accusation, the school withheld the former SRC president’s certificate pending investigations into the matter.

Other executives who were affected by the accusation were the SRC Vice President, Kwadwo Yeboah Darkwah; the SRC Treasurer, Felix Kwasi Donkor; the SRC PRO, Jeffred Okoe Aryeetey; the Finance Committee Chairman, Emmanuel Ashaley Djanie and the Chairman for the Social Planning Committee, Bright Ayi Junior.

However, an independent investigation conducted by the succeeding administration found Mr Osei Mensah and his colleagues innocent of the accusations.

As a result of the findings, the students’ leadership issued a press statement on February 4, 2020, to clear the former SRC president of the allegations stating that the SRC’s finances were intact and there was no embezzlement as reported by the then Dean of Students.

The management of the school, unsatisfied by the SRC’s findings, also set up an ad hoc committee led by Professor Philip Osei Duku, the then Deputy Rector with other members to probe the matter further.

Other members of the committee included the then Secretary of GIMPA, Julius Atukpui (retired); Head of the Department for Public School, Dr Lord Yevugah Mawuko; Director of Finance, James Abrah, and Charity Hayford, who served as Secretary to the Committee.

The committee after three months of investigation submitted its report which exonerated the accused and recommended the immediate release of all withheld academic certificates, payment of some GH₵16,717 as outstanding due them, as well as a publication of retraction and apology to clear their names in the unfortunate reportage.

Despite the recommendations by the committee, the school has only released a sum of GH₵16,717 on 18th August, 2020 due the SRC administration under his tenure following persistent pressure from his lawyers.

He is however demanding full implementation of the recommendation including a release clearing his name and that of his colleagues.

“It is important to note that the recommendations as captured in the Committee’s report, was further tabled at the Central Administration Committee of the Institute, chaired by then Rector, Prof. Phillip Bondzi-Simpson and was further affirmed, which gave the Secretary of the Institute the green light to proceed with the full implementation of the Committee’s recommendations.

“Unfortunately, close to almost three years, the Management of GIMPA has failed to faithfully carry out the full implementation of the recommendations”, he lamented.

“The school has however released the certificates of the accused,” he stated.

GA/WA