UEW and its Political Woes - Part 1

Napoleon once said “The world suffers a lot. Not because of the violence of bad people. But because of the silence of the good people”. I blame myself and some people I know for keeping quiet on the issues of University of Education (UEW) for a long time. Since NPP assumed office in 2016 UEW has not known peace. The school’s image is continuously traded for somebody’s parochial interest and we have all turned a blind eye on it.

Whenever I read about UEW in the media I regret voting for NPP and I feel very disappointed to call myself a member of the party. But it’s all over now, I won’t sit down whiles my alma mater is being brought down by the same party I helped to bring to power. The party does not put food on my table but my certificates do. The more the image of the UEW is dragged in the gutters the more my certificates lose their value.

It’s very heartbreaking when you read article on the issues of UEW written by people who know nothing about how the whole issue is about, how it all started and why it has continued to persist. But you can’t blame them, this is what happens when we buy truth with money. This is what happens when people like myself for fear of losing our jobs, fear of being attacked and the love for our party decide to keep quiet while the world suffers. I will from now dedicate some time of my busy schedule to write in a series and take readers through the UEW issues and it surrounding matters. In this maiden write-up of the series, I will tell you what really caused the initial attack on the University by Afenyo –Markin.

How Dr. Theophilus Senyo Arkorli invited Afenyo’s Trouble into UEW

So in 2013, the office of the Finance Officer (FO) in UEW became vacant. The then FO, Mr. Benjamin Komla Kpodo, had contested and won the seat for Ho Central constituency in the Volta Region during the 2012 general elections. The then Deputy Finance Officer (DFO), Dr. Theophilus Senyo Arkolie had the intention of occupying the position but there were questions on him as he was not fully qualified to be in the position.

Arkorlie foreseeing Alexender Afenyo- Markin (who was then an opposition MP) as someone capable of raising issues on his qualification, went to see him together with the then procurement officer, Ms Mary Dzimey and some others. They resolved that Afenyo- Markin will keep quiet on Ackorlie’s appointment with a promise of a contract worth 1.5 Million Ghana Cedis. Afenyo- Markin who was then as opposition MP saw this as mouthwatering and kept quiet on it.

Unfortunately after the appointment of Dr. Ackorlie as the Finance Officer, all efforts to reach him to fulfill his part of the deal by Afenyo- Markin was not successful. It was then that Afenyo- Markin started planning his revenge. As an opposition MP he knew there was little he could have done if he had attacked so Afenyo- Markin shelved his plans hanging on hope for our party to come power in 2016.

Denial of Afenyo- Markin the opportunity to teach in the UEW/

During the era of Prof. Asabere Ameyaw (the former Vice-Chancellor of UEW), Alex Afenyo- Markin was appointed as a lecturer in the University. This was a great opportunity for Afenyo- Markin as he was hoping to leverage on his status as a lecturer to become more influential among the students and the entire University community.

What was left to complete the appointment was for him to be given the courses he would be teaching. Unfortunately for Afenyo -Markin this met some resistance from some people in the department he was appointed to teach. His courses were never released to him. All attempts by him to get the opportunity to teach in UEW failed. In Afenyo’s understanding, the people who masterminded his denial included Prof Mawutor Avoke and one Ms. Joyce (formerly of the Department of Communcations, UEW).

The refusal of the principal Officers in UEW to support Afenyo- Markins 2016 Campaign

Prior to the 2016 elections campaigns, Afenyo -Markin was not filthy rich as he is now. As an opposition MP he was struggling to fund his campaign. His opponent Eric Don – Arthur, the son of Dr. Don – Arthur (who was then a member of the UEW governing council) was heavily sponsored by the NDC party. Don Arthur is alleged to have been given 1 million Ghana Cedis to run his campaign. The roads in Winneba were re tarred by the NDC government in the name of Eric Don –Arthur. Streets lights were brought by the NDC government and kept in the house of Dr. Don –Arthur in Winneba. All these were done by the NDC government to give Eric Don – Arthur an advantage over Afenyo – Markin.

Afenyo- Markin, on the other hand, was relying on the benevolence of some few people around him including the Senior Patriots of UEW. Even his campaign T-shirts, is alleged, to have been sponsored by some ‘game boys’ in the Effutu Constituency. Afenyo –Markin was really struggling to match up with Eric Don Arthur in terms of Finance.

As the campaign intensified Afenyo-Markin contacted the Principal officers of UEW more especially Dr. Theophilus Ackorlie and Prof. Mawutor Avoke for support. This support never came rather it is alleged that these principal officers released the school’s pick up cars and some money to the NDC for campaigning. The refusal of the principal officers to support Afenyo –Markin and their subsequent support to the NDC created a huge enmity between Afenyo- Markin and the Principal Officers.

The very day we came to power is when Alex Afenyo-Markin started to scheme to push Prof Mawutor Avoke and Theophilus Ackorlie out of office. The result was the suit by Supi Kwayera against UEW which led to the subsequent dismissal of Prof. Mawutor Avoke and Dr. Theophilus Ackorlie.

In my next article, I will inform my readers the role the NPP government and Afenyo- Markin played, including an alleged bribing of a Judges, to get the current Vice-Chancellor into office. I will also tell you how Afenyo – Markin subtly took control over the University and the subsequent resistance from the VC which has resulted in what we are seeing at the moment.