Sunyani Poly lecturers reject committee

The Sunyani Polytechnic Chapter of the Polytechnic Teachers’ Association of Ghana (POTAG) has rejected a mediation committee constituted by the Polytechnic Governing Council to amicably resolve the impasse between POTAG members and the Registrar of the Polytechnic.

The six-member mediation committee, chaired by Beatrice A. Prempeh, a retired educationist, was to, among other things, investigate the various allegations made by POTAG against the Registrar, mediate between the two parties for an amicable resolution of the impasse, look into other related issues that would bring peace to the Polytechnic and make recommendations for the consideration of Council.

The committee was set up by the Polytechnic Governing Council at its emergency meeting held on Tuesday, 26th March, 2013 following a resolution passed by the lecturers to give the polytechnic authorities up to the end of April 2013 to remove the Registrar, Samuel Obuor from office.

However, the lecturers said they were not interested in any mediation, but demanded forensic investigations into the matter to deal with the issue once and for all.

“We want to inform you that POTAG has additional charges against the Registrar in connection with financial malfeasance which support our demand for his immediate removal from office to ensure industrial peace and effective administration in the polytechnic,” a letter dated 2nd April, 2013, in response to an invitation by the Polytechnic Council to give evidence at the mediation committee, stated.

In a press statement issued yesterday and signed by the local POTAG Secretary, Peter Ansu-Mensah, POTAG accused the Polytechnic Council of shielding the Registrar.

According to the statement, instead of investigating the matter, the Polytechnic Council instituted a Mediation Committee, which POTAG disregarded due to numerous reasons.

“Among other numerous charges was financial malfeasance, which POTAG was expecting the Polytechnic Council to do a thorough investigation into the issues raised. But surprisingly, POTAG sees the Polytechnic Council in bed with the Registrar (Mr. S.A. Obour) and thus the Council is shielding him,” the statement noted.

The release further indicated that on March 18, 2013, POTAG passed a resolution in which it stated that its representative on the Polytechnic Governing Council had been denied access to Council meetings for one year based on false information and wrong accusation by the Registrar.

POTAG also noted that the Rector of the Polytechnic wrongfully terminated the appointment of the Head of Department of Commercial Studies based on similar false information from the Registrar to the Polytechnic Council and the Rector.

POTAG noted that the registrar allegedly diverted a scholarship meant for an academic staff to his brother who was not an employee of the polytechnic.

Furthermore, POTAG noted that the Registrar allegedly stopped the promotion of staff who were not in his ‘good books’ but rather facilitated the promotion of his cronies and favourites.

“POTAG will like to state that it still holds on to the resolution passed on 20th March, 2013 which calls for the removal of the Registrar from office and the deadline of 30th April, 2013 still holds,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the National Secretariat of POTAG has thrown its weight behind their members at the Sunyani Polytechnic.

A press release signed by the General Secretary of POTAG, Atiga Oswald, said that the National Executive of POTAG intervened and mediated in the impasse between the local members in Sunyani and the Polytechnic management/council and compelled the lecturers to withdraw the court case intended to enforce their right of representation at the Polytechnic Council.

However, the polytechnic management failed to take immediate steps to inaugurate the local chapter’s representative onto the council despite the withdrawal of the court case from the court.

“The National Executive of POTAG wishes to state that it is satisfied that the executives of the Sunyani chapter have fulfilled their part of the mediated understanding whilst management/council has simply refused to abide by its side of the deal.

“The National Executive wish to add that it shall fully support the Sunyani Chapter in any action it chooses to take to get its representative sworn onto the Polytechnic Council,” it said.

“POTAG as a union shall not also entertain any form of victimization of its members.”