'We stand with loveable Gyampo' - UG students Political Science students

The 2018 year group of the Political Science Students Association of the University of Ghana (POSSA) has issued a statement condemning the undercover 'Sex-for-Grades' documentary which captured one of their former lecturers, Prof Ransford Gyampo on video allegedly propositioning a female undercover journalist who posed a student.

Apart from Prof Gyampo, one other lecturer of UG, Dr Butakor, was also caught in the web of the BBC’s undercover documentary. They have both been interdicted by the university following the premiering of the exposé.

Both Prof Gyampo and Dr Butakor insist they did nothing wrong.

Two other lecturers of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) in Nigeria were also caught in the video and have suffered the consequences for it.

In a statement on the matter, POSSA 2018 said its members are “angered, disgusted and revulsed” by the “wack” BBC report which sullied the reputation of Professor Ransford Edward Van Gyampo, “an experienced lecturer who is loved by all his students”.

The statement signed by General Sammie, said: “Professor Yaw Gyampo is a dedicated lecturer who, at his level, has worked hard to secure Professorship and currently Heads the Centre for European Studies as its maiden Director. Prof. is also a philanthropist who believes in a community of service. This is manifested in his works in the Central Region where he hails from and elsewhere. Professor Gyampo has in no doubt contributed immensely to Ghana’s electoral politics and political architecture in general, serving through NGOs and CSOs including the IEA.

“As indicated in a BBC letter, he was a target, profiled because he is a big fish, ‘powerful and influential’ with dignity and hard-earned reputation. We vehemently reject this shambolic exposé and support the legal action announced by our lecturer.

“As former and current students, we know who Professor Ransford Gyampo is and what a great asset he is to the Political Science Department, University of Ghana and Ghana as a whole. We know he will be vindicated by a competent court of law and his God will surely not forsake him. This one too shall pass Prof. Yaw Gyampo. We are with you. #WeStandWithProfGyampo”.



Read the full statement below:

STATEMENT BY POSSA 2018 YEAR GROUP & THE #ISTANDWITHPROFGYAMPO MOVEMENT ON THE WACK BBC AFRICA EYE EXPOSÉ

1. We have watched the pieces put together by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) as a documentary dubbed “Sex for Grades”.

2. We have noted with disgust, anger and revulsion, the mention and filming of Professor Ransford Edward Van Gyampo, an experienced lecturer who is loved by all his students.

3. The said documentary which was hyped with the hashtag #SexForGrades seems to suggest that the good lecturer offers “free grades” in exchange for sex.

4. After wasting 53 minutes and 51 seconds of productive time to watch the so-called exposé of which 10 minutes was focused on Professor Gyampo, we are compelled to conclude that the BBC Africa Eye Sex for Grade piece is bogus and of no basis.

i. The video fails to establish any case of extortion, solicitation, abuse of power, intimidation or coercion inter alia.

ii. The piece fails to establish a case of Sex for Grades as widely publicised by a rogue media who is clearly on an ominous carousal.

iii. We are of the view that this is a sinister agenda to run down an enviable reputation without course or purpose.

5. We are aware of our University’s Sexual Harassment Policy and how hard it bites even students. We acknowledge that Grades at the University of Ghana are to be awarded based on merit and not through any form of pleasantries including sex.

5. We frown on any act of solicitation on the part of lecturers or students.

6. We find it interesting, however, that the said video, which is supposed to expose and incriminate Prof. Gyampo, only shows a footage of two consenting adults who have built a rapport over the course of weeks and have exchanged gestures of intimacy.

7. Professor Yaw Gyampo is a dedicated lecturer who, at his level, has worked hard to secure Professorship and currently Heads the Centre for European Studies as its maiden Director. Prof. is also a philanthropist who believes in a community of service. This is manifested in his works in the Central Region where he hails from and elsewhere. Professor Gyampo has in no doubt contributed immensely to Ghana’s electoral politics and political architecture in general, serving through NGOs and CSOs including the IEA.

8. As indicated in a BBC letter, he was a target, profiled because he is a big fish, “powerful and influential” with dignity and hard-earned reputation.

9. We vehemently reject this shambolic exposé and support the legal action announced by our lecturer.

10. As former and current students, we know who Professor Ransford Gyampo is and what a great asset he is to the Political Science Department, University of Ghana and Ghana as a whole. We know he will be vindicated by a competent court of law and his God will surely not forsake him. This one too shall pass Prof. Yaw Gyampo. We are with you. #WeStandWithProfGyampo.