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The University of Ghana branch of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UG-UTAG) is calling for the withdrawal of the Public University Bill (PUB).
The Association a press statement on Wednesday, September 16, 2020, said the Public University Bill will create more problems than solving them if passed into law.
“The PUB is unconstitutional, unnecessary and deeply harmful to the integrity of our public universities. It poses a threat to the ability of students, lecturers and administrators to carry out their day-to-day learning, teaching and research functions without fear of government dictates or reprisals”, the Association stated.
According to UG-UTAG, the bill if passed into law, would confer on the President powers that the 1992 Constitution explicitly denies him or her under Articles 68(1)(b) and 195(3).
The UG-UTAG also added that, the Bill would hobble public universities by bringing them under the direct day-to-day management of the Minister of Education.
“Clause 47 of the Bill states, ‘The Minister may give directives on matters of policy through the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission to a public university and the public university shall comply’”, UG-UTAG said in a press statement.
As stated by the association, the bill should serve as a guideline for the government to ensure existing laws work rather than introducing a new law which is unnecessary.
“PUB is yet another instance of the government introducing a new law rather than ensuring that existing laws work as they should.”
UG-UTAG is therefore ramping up on media campaign to make sure that the public understands fully the dangers of the Public University Bill.
They are also urging the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to exercise his constitutional powers to have the PUB withdrawn.
About the PUB Bill
The Public University Bill purports to harmonize public universities under one law.
The Executive branch of the government has thus put a Bill that would;
1. Allow the President to indirectly govern universities in Ghana by appointing a majority of governing councils.
2. Allow the President to close down any university and replace its governing council.
3. Allow a Minister of Education to give directives to the Universities on any matter, with which the Universities must comply
4. Take the process for admission of new students away from individual universities.
