The Management of the Regional Maritime University (RMU) has asked all staff of the institution to refrain from sexual misconduct.
This follows the constitution of a six-member Anti-Sexual Harassment Committee to draft a policy to deal with sexual harassment in the University.
The leadership of the institution indicated that the formation of the committee is part of measures to tackle sexual impropriety issues from all fronts.
The committee consists of Mr. Jethro W. Brooks Jr. as Chairman, Dr. John York Abaidoo, Mrs. Felicia Ankoma-Sey, Mr. Peter Ehgan, and Mr. Eric Duncan, as members.
Speaking at the 17th Matriculation of the University, Vice-Chancellor of RMU, Professor Elvis Nyarko, said the issue of sexual harassment is being given serious attention as an institution.
“The issue of sexual harassment is being given serious attention as an institution. As a matter of policy, the Regional Maritime University frowns on such acts and steps are being taken to tackle them from all fronts. Towards this end, an Anti-Sexual Harassment Committee has been constituted to deal with this issue. I will urge all and sundry to desist from any form of sexual misconduct henceforth,” he said.
“I want to advise female students especially, to work hard towards achieving their long-held aspirations, and to refrain from acts of self-advertisement with the view to obtaining undeserved favours from staff or other male students. For instance, desist from the attitude of ‘dressing to kill’ so as not to become too conspicuous to males with wicked sexual intentions.”
He further tasked lecturers and other staff of the institution to add their quota in the development of students.
“I will also take this opportunity to remind lecturers and administrative staff as well as other support staff that students have been entrusted into our care and we owe it as a duty to mould them into responsible adults. Our service to the students should therefore be rendered professionally and on merit without any strings attached,” he stated.
The Vice-Chancellor said that during the 2019/2020 admissions exercise, the University offered admission to 890 postgraduate and undergraduate applicants from both member and non-member countries, out of which 577 which is 64.8 percent accepted and have registered.
The number of students enrolled is made up of 54 postgraduate and 523 undergraduate students. Out of the total figure, 465 are males and 112 are females.
Professor Nyarko said it was significant to note that the admission of females into the sea-going programmes of Nautical Science and Marine Engineering has increased from eight last academic year to sixteen for this academic year.
“This means that the University’s drive of encouraging more females to take up sea-going programmes is achieving good results.”