Government, UTAG clash over reps for KNUST Council

The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) is expected to have a reconstituted Governing Council announced on Friday by Chancellor Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

But before the list comes out, government is not happy with the representative presented by the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG).

Ironically, government has failed to meet the Wednesday deadline for the presentation of its representatives for the soon-to-be-announced Council.

Speaking on 3FM’s Sunrise on Friday, National President of UTAG Dr. Eric Opoku Mensah insisted UTAG is not changing its representative on the Council.

According to him, Professor Eric Forkuo’s performance on the Council over the past year has been satisfactory and members are rallying support for him to finish the remainder of his tenure.

Dr. Opoku Mensah said all stakeholders were given up to Wednesday to present their representatives and UTAG duly met that deadline.

He, however, said government as of Thursday evening had not submitted its representatives onto the Council, a situation that could trigger an industrial action from the lecturers.

Government has four representatives on the Council.

Dr. Osei Kankam, Dr Kwabena Boadu, Mrs Abena Antwi and Dr Edward Baffoe-Bonnie were the government representatives on the outgoing Council.

After the recent happenings at the university, leading to its closure by government, a decision was reached to have the Chancellor name a reconstituted Council.

The Asantehene was given up to Friday, November 2 to name a new Council.

“We are looking forward to it today,” UTAG’s National President told Sunrise host Winston Amoah.

But the Head of Public Relations at the Ministry of Education, Ekow Vincent Assafuah, said government will still present its representatives before the day ends.

Speaking on the morning show, he said UTAG has betrayed government’s trust since a “gentleman’s agreement” was reached to have all representatives for the new Council changed.

He explained that the agreement was to repose confidence in the reconstituted Council as the outgoing one was blamed for the happenings at the school. He said government will change its representatives on the Council.

But UTAG’s move, he said, makes “the process useless”.