Dr Clement Apaak, Deputy Ranking Member of the Education Committee of Parliament
A Deputy Ranking Member of the Education Committee of Parliament, Dr Clement Apaak, has described President Nana Akufo-Addo’s response to critics against the Universities Bill as tyrannical.
Dr Apaak has also condemned Mr Akufo-Addo for passing comments which the opposition MP says he deems an insult to all the critics of the bill.
“I think the President has insulted academia. The president’s comment is an insult. He doesn’t just speak about his claim that the arguments are flimsy, but he says they are borne out of mischief…,” Dr Apaak told Class91.3FM on Tuesday, 2 July 2019.
He was responding to comments by Mr Akufo-Addo who said the new Universities Bill which will soon be laid before Parliament after the completion of consultations, will not, in any way, undermine academic freedom in public universities as is being peddled about by critics.
Addressing the first session of the University of Professional Studies (UPSA) 11th Congregation at the UPSA Auditorium, President Akufo-Addo said the bill will rather, among others, bring all public universities under one law and make the administration of public universities less cumbersome and more efficient.
"The flimsy allegations being perpetrated that the bill will undermine academic freedom are deliberate mischief-making and disingenuous," Nana Akufo-Addo said.
Dr Apaak pointed out that prominent Ghanaian citizens who have served in academia have pointed out that the Bill, in its current form, will erode academic freedom.
The Builsa South MP argued that the number of members on the governing council of the universities as proposed by the bill, have been reduced to nine, with five being government appointees.
“You cannot have government appointees dominating and yet you turn to say that it is not going to have an impact on the functionality and independence of the academic institution,” the Member of Parliament (MP) for Builsa South Constituency noted.
He added that there is a component which seeks to allow the Minister of Education to provide policy direction, which “has never happened” in the country.
For him, these proposals in the bill do not make the academic institutions independent “and, therefore, academic freedom is in danger”.
Describing the comments by Mr Akufo-Addo as “distasteful”, Dr Apaak said if the president does not want input from stakeholders, then consultations on the bill should cease and “get it passed” since “he has the majority” in parliament.
For him, the posture of Mr Akufo-Addo is “another example of a president who is intolerant to divergent opinions”.
Dr Apaak said the president is fond of “using vindictive, insulting language against persons who proffer alternative opinions” whenever loopholes in any policy or government action is highlighted by well-meaning Ghanaians.
He cited instances relating to the Ghana-US military cooperation agreement and other policies to buttress his point.
He concluded that such actions by Mr Akufo-Addo “are undemocratic and smack of dictatorship and tyranny”, adding: “That is very unfortunate”.
