Prof. Afful-Broni’s letter ruined my weekend

The letter Prof Afful-Broni, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Education (UEW) wrote to “dismiss” Prof Augustine Nwagbara – referred to by many on social media as that “Nigerian professor inciting Nigerians against Ghanaians”- is exactly why Prof Nwagbara said that ghana university education is poor.

Reverend Father Prof. Anthony Afful-Broni’s letter ruined my weekend.

But he is not alone; all the administrative staff who typed that letter, edited it and approved it, including that so-called “Special Committee set up to investigate uncomplimentary remarks made by” Prof Nwagbara need to undergo mandatory hours of training and then be fired for gross incompetence.

According to the letter signed by Fr Prof Afful-Broni dated, 19th June, 2019 with reference number PF/2515/11 (it’s been circulating for days now without a challenge from UEW), the special committee found as offence numbers one and two respectively: “Your uncomplimentary comments were not expected from a University Professor.”; “By your comments, you had shown gross disrespect to the Government of Ghana, Security Agencies in Ghana and downgraded the Ghanaian Educational system in general and tertiary Education in the country in particular.”

Even if we find that Nwagbara’s video comments made in his private capacity were inaccurate and provocative and so what; he should be summarily dismissed from his university post?

Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, our very own Minister for Education has said IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY to many international organisations whilst asking for assistance: “We are a failing nation”. The fact is Ghana is now at par with Sudan in the PISA ranking for non-OECD countries in terms of quality education; she is behind Rwanda and Burundi!

We have published these facts before and now we also have this poorly written letter from Afful-Broni.

In any case, if Nwagbara has disgraced the Government of ghana (small g) and even incited Nigerians against Ghanaians, is the video not with the police and are the police not conducting their investigations? What stops the UEW from informing the police officially about their own concerns?

And when the special committee sat what university regulations did they use to try him; could UEW not have educated all of us on this? What did he have to say in his defence? On what regulations did you find him guilty, and what is his avenue for redress?

As for my mentor he has no time for such behaviour; behavior that does not measure up to international best practice or enlightened principles.

“It is a typical ghana letter based on opinion; not supported by established facts or laid down procedures; purely predicated on hubris, ahenfie mentality; ‘banku and tilapia thinking’ or ‘we shall show you where power lies’. Certainly, another new low in the race to the bottom. Are we not capable of doing or handling ANYTHING properly?

There is not a SINGLE reference to any University Statute/Regulation that Prof Nwagbara has disobeyed or contravened. There is not a SINGLE reference to any law dictating or recommending the action that has been taken by the university.”

Even a letter from the University of EDUCATION and signed by the VC does not EDUCATE anyone! There is no point of reference.

What a country we live in!

We have seen it before; proferring and acting on opinion backed by nothing; an all-pervasive all-consuming harmonious mediocrity.

The UEW letter is poorly written including typographical errors such as asking Nwagbara to hand over his “staff identify card”…..to who? To the VC…unbelievable!

Now to the parting questions:

1. When was this “special Committee” set up and why?

2. What were the terms of reference for the committee?

3. How do we know if the committee has not acted outside its mandate?

4. When did this “council of the University” that approved the committee’s decision meet, and where is the reference to their minutes or decision?

5. If a court asks UEW to produce such relevant documents in case of a challenge, what will be our collective national attitude?

6. Will UEW – and the Amen Corner, and the champions of disorder, lawlessness and MEDIOCRITY – call a staff member or anyone who challenges this decision internally or through the courts, or anywhere he chooses within his legal right, unghanaian?

7. Why is it that our public officials and institutions are so impervious and intolerant of critiques and improvement?

We shall leave the rest for later, but as readers know by now, we have never pandered to public opinion.

We are also aware that totally irrelevant/ tangential to the substantive issue of the contents of Afful-Broni’s letter, a not insignificant segment of the public will resort to name calling – their stock in trade – as their response to this article.

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