Greed, selfishness, cronyism, favouritism, etc, are some of the factors that account for the current stand taken by some executives of UTAG UEW, Winneba.
Kumasi and Mampong campuses of UTAG UEW, have respect for the laws of Ghana, and are accordingly respecting the decision of the Winneba High Court regarding the injunction placed on the 2 principal officers of UEW. All rational beings will respect UTAG UEW Kumasi and Mampong campuses, for having confidence in the judiciary to deliver justice.
However, UTAG UEW, Winneba and Ajumaku campuses executives, declared a strike, which albeit, is only for propaganda purposes. The situation on the ground, is that, a majority of UTAG UEW members, have defied the strike action. Sandwich students are on the campuses, and are being taught without any hindrance. The face saving argument by the UTAG UEW President, that sandwich is different from the regular students, should be for the consumption of mentally deluded individuals. All students pay fees, matriculate, attend lectures, participate in continuous assessments, write exams, and graduate, whether sandwich or regular. Attempting to say that the strike action applies only to regular students, can actually serve as a basis for the regular students to bring an action in court against UTAG UEW, for discrimination under Article 17 of the constitution 1992. I believe that, the MP for Effutu, Hon. Afenyo Markin, (son of a baker), would be more than happy to render his legal services, free of charge to the regular students if they eventually decide to pursue this line of action open to them.
The above is just obiter. Here is the juicy part of this write-up.
The current UTAG UEW President, who is doing everything in his power, to rally innocent UTAG UEW members at Winneba and Ajumaku campuses, to support his ‘Delta Force’ like-actions regarding the Winneba High Court decision on the 16th of July 2017, was recently appointed a Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences. A juicy reward for putting up such a spirited defence of the indefensible!
Furthermore, the UTAG UEW Vice President, has also been appointed the Vice Dean of the School of Creative Arts, where the VC on vacation wife, is now the Dean.
In addition, the UTAG UEW Secretary, has also been appointed the Dean of the Faculty of Foreign Languages, and Communication Studies, and the former Dean, who, he is taking over from, is now the Vice Dean. This is the most pathetic and unGodly part of the recent appointments by the VC, just days before the injunction order was slapped on him. This scenario is akin to a headmaster, now being made an assistant headmaster, in the same secondary school.
To set the records straight, the position of a Dean is supposed to be advertised internally, and then an interview conducted after receipt of applications. Interestingly, non of these positions was advertised, so there is a procedural irregularity in those appointments, which the Acting VC can legally reverse.
Just to spice the dish up, the appointment of the VC in 2015, who has been slapped with the injunction, was also procedurally, defective. A candidate for such a position, is expected to score 70% or above at the interview. Sadly, when the interview was conducted in 2015, non of the applicants clocked the 70% pass mark. This was why the former VC, Prof Asabre, argued for an extension of his tenure of office, so that the position could be advertised again, but he was overruled by the defunct governing council at that time.
Based on the above submission, an individual who was affected by the decision of the defunct governing council, to sidestep the rules and appoint the current embattled VC, could actually make a complaint to CHRAJ, as it appears to be the appropriate forum. This in itself, can lead to the embattled VC, being removed from office.
It is on record that, a UTAG UEW member, also faced a legal battle in the line of his official duty, not quite long ago, but surprisingly, UTAG UEW never declared a strike to support him.
It is obvious that, UTAG UEW is now operating on the doctrine established in Animal Farm by George Orwell (all animals/human beings are equal, but some are more equal).
It must be made clear to some blind supporters of a certain stand that, a signed letter by a sitting President of the Republic of Ghana, cannot, and will never carry legal weight than an Act of Parliament or the constitution 1992.
Furthermore, the laws of Ghana determines where a dispute should be sent for the purposes of resolving it, and not UTAG UEW.
For example, the EC has been taken to the High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court, and quiet recently, EOCO. To cap it up, a petition has been submitted to the Presidency calling for the removal of the EC Chairperson. The EC with its independence guaranteed under Article 46, of the constitution 1992, (whereas no single public university’s name is mentioned anywhere in the constitution 1992), also have a staff union, but they have not protested, and go on to label these happenings as an attack on its independence, but are patiently waiting for EOCO and the petition to the Presidency to run their full cycles.
I will never sell my conscience for a promotion or appointment. Even if the current wind of change blowing at UEW, brings in a single improvement in the administration of UEW, that is sufficient for me.
Under normal circumstances, if an individual is dissatisfied with the contents of a write-up like this, they issue a rejoinder to set the records straight, even though sometimes, such rejoinders are just face-saving devices. However, the educated illiterates, will most often, hide behind meetings where they have control over proceedings, to hit a low blow in an academically bankrupt manner.
If a suit against an institution of higher learning is an attack on so-called academic freedom, then individuals who hold such a sad miscalculated view, will need to have their brains examined! End of story!!
Alhassan Salifu Bawah
(son of a peasant farmer)
