Public Universities Bill halted after Bawumia’s intervention

The government has placed ice on the controversial Public Universities Bill (PUB) for now after Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, met with the leadership of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) among others.

Members of academia have been against the bill, arguing it curtails academic freedom and autonomy of public universities.

The Chairman of the Select Committee on Education in Parliament, William Quaitoo, said until other stakeholders give their input the bill will not return to the House.

UTAG has expressed satisfaction with the decision.

“At the meeting, the Vice President, on behalf of Government, upheld the directive of the Speaker of Parliament that the Parliamentary Select Committee of Education should carry out through stakeholder engagements and report back to Parliament. Therefore, all processes leading to the passage of the PUB has been halted for now.

“Meanwhile, UTAG has been given a copy of the revised version of the PUB for our study and consultation with our members. NEC, therefore, calls on all members of UTAG to remain calm as the consultations go on and will like to assure them that anything contrary to this agreement will incur the displeasure of UTAG,” it said in a statement.