Comparing the Adenta riot incident to that of KNUST, Prof Gyampo asks, “Should we dissolve Akufo-Addo government over Adenta incident?”
He reasoned that since “government heard the cries of the residents in the area regarding the carnage yet [did not] act on it until the violent protest by the residents, then the dissolution of the University Council as the remedy for the KNUST situation should be applied to the government.
I will make this brief. The pronouncements of a professor of such standing should not be based on personal preferences or emotions, but on sound reasoning backed by law.
Government operates according to law, not according to personal preferences of individuals.
1. By asking the question above, the good professor has exposed his ignorance about the very governance he is supposed to be an expert of.
2. While the dissolution of the KNUST Council is within the legal authority of the government, granted by the constitution of Ghana, the only body with the power to dissolve the government is the citizens of Ghana through the ballot.
3. By his assertions, he is at the same time implying that the caution given by the Vice Chancellor of UG that “We do not want what happened at KNUST to happen here at the University of Ghana…I will not sit for things to escalate,” is wrong. Perhaps he should advise the VC accordingly.
4. While the completion of the footbridge would lessen traffic accidents in the area, that in itself is no guarantee that no one would be killed after completion. The N1 Highway has several footbridges, but fatal accidents such as the one at Adenta still happen.
5. Governments are constrained by what they can do at any given moment by the financial resources at hand. Did the KNUST situation arise because of lack of financial resources?
6. No institution in society is above the law, and it’s high time we do away with the misguided and pompous attitude that only those in academia know what is best for academia.
When those in charge of public institutions demonstrate gross incompetence, they are at the same time inviting outsiders with supervisory authority over them to intervene in their affairs.
Such was the case of the EC when the Supreme Court gave it directions about voter registration, and such is the situation with the President dissolving the council at KNUST.
7. By the statement, “Dissolving a Governing Council because of study demonstration only exposes a certain hidden agenda beyond the rather ignorant explanations being bandied around by some inexperienced appointees, Prof Gyampo has not only exposed his ignorance of the law, he has demonstrated his disrespect for his own VC and people like Profs Yankah and Frimpong Boateng.
These are also appointees of the government. 8. Universities are not sacred cows to be left alone no matter what.
The situation at KNUST called for emergency measures. To suppose that those who supervised the evolution of violence at KNUST are the only ones who can administer the University is ludicrous.
Granted, the various unions have their constitutions that direct who represents them at the University Council, failure to envisage the possibility of an emergency situations that calls for alternative representation is the sole failure of the unions. Those who supervise failure cannot be the same ones to bring about excellence.
The unions’ entrenchment and high sense of infallibility must be matched by competence. No one can hold the nation to ransom.
Dr. Richard Amoako Baah
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Dr. Richard Amoako Tuffuor, Which is more reasonable, having 5 failed dissolved members in 7 member interim council (about 70% of total) and having 9 failed dissolved members in 15 member new reconstituted council if the government has changed its 4 members with CHASS and NCTE (60% of total)? Which is more unmatched, losing 24 or 195 human lives and GHS1.7 million worth destruction? Is the road, transport ministries not having Ministers and Boards? Frustrated hypocrite!
This too known Dr. Gyampo is losing his relevance.
Some academies has make it a point that, they are the only people who can make sense in Ghana but I tell you some of the statements that comes out from such people like Gyampo, Franklin of IMAMI are like Street talks without basis la.
If you can change management in KNUST because of students' demonstration then you should do so in government because of the serious demonstration in Adenta. The boards of the road ministry and transport ministry must go. Even, the president and his cabinet must go.
Dr Amoako Tuffuor. Please I don't want to waste too much time by pointing out illogical reasoning and ignorance in your write up as you have done to professor Gyampo. My only advice for you is that before you accuse the rope of being too short, please check if it is not the well which is too deep. Enjoy your day
Since npp came to power he has become irrelevant so he is trying to pick quarrel with gyampo in order to be in the limelight, hence writing this garbage to be posted on peacefmonline.com. If you have anyone to pick quarrels with pick it with nana addo who couldn't give you an appointment after helping him to gain power.
If lecturer Gyampo luck logical reasoning. Know wonder most of student churning out from UGC are of no value to society these days. logical reasoning are now reduced to emotions and political considerations. Pro. Gymapo, it's not by force to comment on every issue. The more u do the more you expose your ignorance and embarrass your students.
If he says the citizens can only remove the governmemt by the ballot. He should know that a ***barred word*** governmemnt has to be demonstrated against as we are witnessing no, followed by a total breakdown in law and other like it happenned on KNUST campus for a dissolution to happen by international actors. The Arab spring of 'elected' governments in Tunisian and Egypt where governements were dissolved taken over by transition teams who supervised elections come to mind.
That Gyampo guy is a joke of a lecturer