Prof Yankah explains why Public Universities Bill has been suspended

Minister of State in charge of Tertiary Education, Professor Kwesi Yankah, has explained that the controversial Public Universities’ Bill has been suspended to enable diverse opinions to be incorporated in the final document.

Prof Yankah told Citi FM that the numerous opinions that have been expressed on the Bill and various memoranda that have been submitted by various academic and non-academic interest groups have compelled government to pause momentarily.

“The government is the Majority in Parliament, and they could have very easily decided to go ahead with the Bill because we have the numbers but for us, as a listening government, we also realised that those adverse comments that have been made by various interest groups within and outside academia ought to be considered and it is not simply a matter of majority, but ensuring that you have a fair idea of the direction in which the bill is going,” the online news portal quoted Prof Yankah in a report.

Individuals and groups had been calling on the government to withdraw the Public Universities Bill 2020 because it will stifle academic freedom.

Some critics have even called the bill unconstitutional.

The decision to put the bill on hold a month after President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said the bill cannot be disputed.

The President told Accra-based Oman FM that the Bill will simplify the management of public universities in the country.

It emerged on Thursday, October 23, 2020 that the Bill will not be among those to be considered before Parliament goes on recess on in the coming weeks.