Suspension of VC, others not witch-hunting attempt - UEW Governing Council

The Governing Council of the University of Education (UEW) has dismissed claims suggesting that the suspension of the school’s Vice Chancellor and some 5 officers of the university is part of efforts by the council to witch-hunt some individuals.

Reports emerging last week indicated that some top officials of the university had been asked to step aside to assist investigations into some alleged malfeasance and procurement breaches.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Mawutor Avoke was among the named officials with the other five being;

Dr. Theophilus Senyo Ackorlie Finance Officer Mr. Frank Owusu Boateng Deputy Finance Officer Ms. Sena Dake Internal Auditor Ms. Mary Dzimey Acting Head of Procurement Ing. Daniel Tetteh Ag. Deputy Director of Works and Physical Development

Following the news, some individuals including the immediate past UTAG President, Dr. Harry Agbanu and Professor Victor K. Owusu have called the decision a move by some officials of the school’s governing council to witch-hunt the aforementioned individuals for their personal interests.

“In all the brouhaha in UEW, why is Afful-Broni always left out as if he is not part of management? Since when did UEW council realise that they have to arrogate to themselves the power to find facts pertaining to malfeasance and corruption. I learnt that the council formed a so-called committee to do some witch hunting. I suppose this is a field of speciality for the council chairman and the Pro VC.

I learnt the committee came back last week to ask for an extension and they were given 2 weeks but before one could say jack, the council chair called for an emergency meeting on 31/10/2017 to discuss the committee's interim report which was not even made available for council members to peruse.

From the so-called interim report in front of the council chair alone, he claimed that some files were missing and a motion was moved for voting on “VC (who has stepped aside since July 14, 2017), FO (who has stepped aside since July 14, 2017) and four (4) others to step aside” and the voting was 8-4 in favour of asking the officers to step aside. On 30/10/2017, the Ag. VC had to meet the student leadership and convinced them to vote on the “asking some officers to step aside” issue.

The letters were typed before the council chairman called for the emergency meeting. If this is not witch hunting, then what can it be. The council chair has been committing administrative errors since the time he assumed office”, excerpts of an article by Prof. Owusu read.

A statement released and signed by the Governing Council Chair, Prof. Emmanuel Nicholas Abakah however debunked the suggestions. The council insists that the six persons were asked to step aside solely for investigative purposes contrary to what others may be suggesting.

“We wish to put on record that the recent decision of the Governing Council to request six of our officers to step aside was purely in respect of the on-going investigations by EOCO, BNI and the Governing Council”.

The Vice-Chancellor and the Finance Officer are a subject of three investigations - Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and the university's fact-finding committee.

They have been accused of "malfeasance in the various procurement and contract awards".

The Vice-Chancellor and Finance Officer had already been ordered by the Winneba High Court last July to hand over to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor until a case brought before it is determined.

This was after a private citizen, Supi Kofi Kwayera, asked the court to declare the University’s Governing Council illegal because its tenure expired in November 2013.

Attempts by the university to dismiss the suit failed as did attempts by the UEW branch of University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) to join the suit.

UEW branch of UTAG went up to the Supreme Court praying that it overturns the High Court order to the Vice-Chancellor and Finance Officer.

The lecturers argue that the High Court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case filed by Supi Kwayera. UTAG also claims the plaintiff at the High Court also has no locus in the matters of the university.

The Supreme Court is expected to hear the case November 8.

Below is the full statement: