UEW Council defends Prof. Abakah’s promotion

The Management of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) has stated that the promotion of Prof. Abakah to the status of a Full Professor at the University was within the Conditions of Service for Senior Members in Public Universities.

The Management described some information circulating in the media regarding the University’s policy on promotion as a condition of service of Senior Members from one rank to the other, as “Mischief.”

In a statement signed by the University Registrar, Surv. Paul Osei-Barima, Esq. he explained that the current UEW Governing Council has, since its induction into office, set itself to deal with some unfair policy regulations in the University which have been hindering staff development as well as the growth of the University over some periods now.

According to him, those unfair policy regulations which the Council is dealing with include the age limit of 40 years as the cut-off eligible age for employment or appointment into the University.

“A barrier/ban on progression of employee non-PhD holders of Associate Professorial rank to a full Professorial status,” he noted and mentioned that the revised period of notice of application for promotion prior to retirement from at least six months to the current period of at least 12 months which is in total variance with the provisions in the Unified Conditions of Service for Senior Members of the Public Universities in Ghana.

He also averred that the six months’ notice of application for promotion prior to retirement in the Unified Conditions of Service for Senior Members in the Public Universities in Ghana “sits very well with the six months’ notice of retirement or resignation of Senior Members in public universities or in lieu of the required six months’ notice of resignation, payment of six months’ salary to the either side.”

However in explaining the promotions of Prof. E. N. Abakah, the Registrar stated that records available to the Council indicate that Prof. E. N. Abakah had earlier applied for promotion to the status of Full Professor before his retirement.

He stated that a general circular of notice was circulated to the University community across all the campuses of the University about the reversal of the revised provision from 12 months to six months’ notice of application for promotion before one’s retirement.

“As a result, four (4) Senior Members submitted their application for processing. They are: Dr. C. A. Kumsah, Prof. D. K. Mereku, Prof. E. N. Abakah and Dr. Ing. James Musah Seidu,” he stated.

Surv. Paul Osei-Barima, Esq. elaborated that Professor Abakah’s application was within the six months’ notice as provided for in the Unified Conditions of Service for Senior Members in the Public Universities, stating that during the Governing Council’s meeting to consider and approve the said promotion, Prof. E. N. Abakah, the Chairman of the Council, recused himself and one government nominee on Council chaired the meeting and approved of Prof. Abakah’s promotion to the status of a Full Professor after considering the favourable reports from two external assessors.

He said: “By the date of his earlier application, Prof. Abakah had 10 months before his retirement in September, 2014. It, therefore, meant that at the time of his notice of application for promotion before his retirement, Prof. Abakah’s application was within the six months’ notice as provided for in the Unified Conditions of Service for Senior Members in the Public Universities.”

Also maintained that as a provision in Unified Conditions of Service, it is more of a welfare package for Senior Members in public universities than rules of promotion in the UEW Statutes as being alleged and that the Provisions in the Conditions of Service cannot be varied to the disadvantage of a staff or an employee, but could be varied to the advantage or benefit of a staff or an employee.

According to the Statement, even though the revised notice of application for promotion prior to retirement reviewed it upwards, the said revision never saw any review to the six months’ notice of retirement, termination or resignation as provided for in the Unified Conditions of Service for Senior Members in the Public Universities in Ghana.

“The Governing Council at its meeting held on 16th August, 2017 and on 28th December, 2017 extensively discussed the revised provision in the Criteria for Promotion for Senior Members in UEW which provides for 12 months’ notice of application for promotion before one’s retirement as against the provision in the Unified Conditions of Service for Senior Members in the Public Universities which provides for six months’ notice of application for promotion before one’s retirement,” he stated.

According to the Governing Council, it found that the revised position of 12 months’ notice of application for promotion before one’s retirement instead of the original six months’ notice of application for promotion before retirement is more disadvantageous than beneficial to the Senior Members in UEW, hence the Council reversed the revised provision from 12 months to six months’ notice of application for promotion before one’s retirement and directed that Senior Members who were denied of application for promotion because they did not meet the ‘apply for promotion at least 12 months before retirement’ policy but whose application fell within the Unified Conditions of Service for Senior Members in the Public Universities which provides for six months’ notice of application for promotion before one’s retirement, should be informed and allowed to reapply.

The University Management said the reports that it acted in contravention of the laid down regulations is “misinformation, misrepresentation and mischief.”

It also cautioned the general public and the media to be wary of persons who, through misinformation and mischief, are working round the clock to bring the name of the University into disrepute.