The Management of the University Of Education Winneba (UEW) has indicated that its former Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof. Mawutor Avoke will not be reinstated.
According to the University, although an Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) report exonerated him, the decision for his dismissal was determined by the institution’s Governing Council.
The Governing Council dismissed Prof. Avoke after the Winneba High Court in 2017 asked Prof Avoke to step aside until a case brought against him and the University’s Governing Council was determined.
In an interview with Citi News, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of UEW, Ernest Azutiga said the institution welcomes Prof Avoke’s call to work with all and sundry for peace to prevail in the university but shot down his reinstatement request.
“On his call to work with everyone to bring peace to the institution, I think it is in the right direction because that is what management and Council are working towards; bringing peace and reconciliation into the institution. He also asked that he should be reinstated, but the question will be what will be the basis for the reinstatement. What I gather from his presser is that he has been exonerated by EOCO.”
“There was a Supreme Court ruling that quashed the Winneba High Court ruling on him. The situation is that in that very Supreme Court ruling the judges made it clear that the decision to dismiss him was not based on EOCO reports. In fact, UEW had not made any formal complaints to EOCO. Based on the arguments he is making it will be impossible to reinstate him,” the PRO added.
Prof. Mawutor Avoke at a press conference on Tuesday demanded an immediate reinstatement.
He also wanted the feuding factions at the school to unite and resolve their difference in the interest of the university.
He said he was ready to work together with the current VC, Prof. Anthony Afful-Broni and the Chairman of the University’s Governing Council, Prof. Emmanuel Abekah but first, they should rise above their parochial interest to enable them to work for the good of the institution.
[contextly_sidebar id=”jOeNqCUbryiEayw1Yp8eM9Zj939NtFgW”]Although the Supreme Court overturned a High Court decision which led to the removal of Prof. Avoke, he has not been able to assume office following the induction of Prof. Fr. Afful-Broni.
The school’s Governing Council had also threatened to deal with him if he dares show up on campus.
Prof. Avoke described himself as a ‘consensus builder’ and one who is ready to work with any manner of person.
“I have demonstrated that I am able to work with every category of people. I appointed Afful Broni as a pro-vice chancellor in spite of what has happened. I have worked with Prof. Abeka before. The question is whether they are willing to work with me. I have demonstrated that I am a consensus builder and I have the unlimited capacity to bounce and work with any category of people.”
“It is not about me, it is about the corporate social agenda of the University. I have indicated that the University is bigger than any of us and therefore we must put our prejudices and biases outside and come together as a group and put the university forward”, he added.
I’ll go to court if
Professor Avoke also vowed to return to court if his request is turned down.
He said he had been cleared by Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) of the issues that led to his dismissal.
“I am here on the strength of the clearance from EOCO and the fact that we have done nothing wrong and that my reputation has been restored…We will go back to court in May if no effort at reconciliation has been initiated,” he added.
Sequence of events
Lawyers for Prof. Avoke, had in November 2018, written a letter to the school’s Governing Council directing it to prepare the office of their client to enable him to resume following the Supreme Court’s ruling.
The lawyers also wanted the same accord to be extended to former Finance Officer of the University, Dr. Theophilus Senyo Ackorlie.
But the request was shot down.
The governing council, however, threw its support behind Prof. Afful-Broni despite accusations of victimization, injustice and other actions said to have brought the image of the university into disrepute.
The Winneba High Court in 2017 ordered Prof Avoke, to step aside until a case brought against him and the University’s Governing Council was determined.
The Governing Council subsequently dismissed Avoke.
