The Minister of State In-Charge of Tertiary Education, Professor Kwesi Yankah, has said he is not sure if the University of Education’s Governing Council dismissed the former Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mawutor Avoke, and four others in line with laid down regulations.
He noted to Citi News that the universities have “laid down procedures” that have to be abided by”.
[contextly_sidebar id=”ng0eSmLmgb84mAWQ05t0bDqpSLY878gz”]Professor Yankah said he was not yet aware if these procedures were adhered to.
“I’ve been away for a while and I have not been in touch with them to explain the entire circumstances as to whether the entire procedure, which I am aware in all universities involves advertising for the vacant position, a search party instituted to look for the new vice chancellor, the report of the search party brought before the council… for the council to make a final decision were followed.”
The five principal officers were interdicted in July 2017 by the UEW governing council to allow for investigations after it emerged that some vital documents at some offices at the centre of an ongoing investigation had gone missing.
They were subsequently dismissed three weeks ago by the governing council of the University following an emergency meeting.
Following their dismissal, Reverend Father Professor Afful-Broni was appointed as the substantive Vice-Chancellor.
Professor Yankah described the dismissals as unprecedented.
“It would be the first time in remembered history that this has been effected by a university council. Dismissing, not asking to step aside but dismissing a vice-chancellor is a serious matter,” he told Citi News.
Claims of unfair dismissal
The dismissed officials have maintained that their dismissal was baseless.
In a press release, the embattled officials said they were saddened about the public perception of their silence on the matter, hence their decision to clarify the situation at hand.
“We noticed that there is a lot of information in the social, print and electronic media on the subject. Some people have also misconstrued our silence on the subject as an admission of guilt. We have therefore decided to provide these clarifications to the public.”
Also speaking to Citi News in August, Dr. Theophilus Senyo Ackorlie, the dismissed Finance Officer said the dismissals were politically motivated because they had no hand in the contract.
“…Because proper procedures were not followed, the matter is in court. The contract that they are talking about – The North campus road contract was not awarded by Prof. Avorke. That contract was even awarded when the current council Chairman was the Pro-Vice Chancellor. The first phase of that project was done and he signed all the payment vouchers. The second phase was done in 2015 when the current acting Vice-Chancellor was the Pro-Vice Chancellor and the records are there.”
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citinewsroom.com/Ghana