Sex for grades saga: UG lenient with Professor Gyampo and Butakor - Senior Lecturer

Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Social Policy Studies, University of Ghana, Dr. George Domfe, believes management of the country's premier university was magnanimous in the decision to suspend two of its senior lecturers over the BBC's sex-for-grades documentary.

The Economist pointed out that the University of Ghana (UG) has always been particularly strict on perpetrators of acts likely to dent the tertiary institution's image.

The UG on Monday, 17th February, announced the suspension of Political Science Lecturer, Professor Gyampo and Dr Paul Butakor over the sex-for-grades documentary by the BBC.

A statement by the UG Management stated that "in line with statute 46 (2) of the University of Ghana Statutes, as amended, and regulation 15.0 of the Code of Conduct for Academic Staff of the University of Ghana, the Disciplinary Committee recommended a six-month suspension without pay for Professor Gyampo and a four-month suspension without pay for Dr Butakor. The suspensions take effect from January 1, 2020."

The two lecturers are also required to undergo appropriate training on the University of Ghana's Sexual Harassment and Misconduct Policy as well as the Code of Conduct for Academic Staff of the University of Ghana.

They will be required to receive a positive assessment after the training before the resumption of their duties. They are also required to undergo an annual assessment for a period of 5years.

Contributing to a panel discussion on UTV’s ‘Adekye Nsroma’ show, Dr Domfe pointed out that the stature iof the accused persons and the discussions the incident stimulated were possible factors considered by the senior members’ disciplinary committee to finally arrive at their decision.

“The University has been very lenient with them because there are colleagues who through the same unfortunate incident lost their jobs and life has not been easy for them since then.”

"...Sexual harassment does not only happen in tertiary schools but all levels of education. As teachers at all levels of education let us make God the foundation to our work, doing more of his work to protect our credibility and to bring discipline in our schools,” Dr. George Domfe stated.