University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has refuted media reports that the Vice Chancellor (VC) of the University of Education, Winneba, and five other officers of the university were detained by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
According to UTAG, “Prof. Mawutor Avoke was not formally written to, to appear before EOCO and therefore, has not been arrested or detained as speculated in the media.
In a statement signed by its President, Dr Eric Opoku Mensah, and issued last Tuesday in Accra, UTAG explained that at the time of the case pending before the court Prof Avoke was a Dean and as such was not a party.”
According to UTAG, the current acting VC, Prof Afful-Broni, was the substantive Pro-VC who signed most of the payment vouchers (PVs), with the former VC, Prof Asabere-Ameyaw, and “that if for anything, Prof Afful-Broni should be the person answering EOCO’s questions.”
It said although Prof Avoke had not been found guilty by any court of competent jurisdiction, attempts have been made to withdraw all benefits and perquisites due him as the VC of the university.
The association said it will not hesitate to fully employ all the strategies available to it in order to redeem and protect the interest and image of members of the association and particularly, the autonomy of public universities.
UTAG wants all major stakeholders such as VCs Ghana, the Governing Council of UEW, the Ministry of Education, National Council for Tertiary Education and the Office of the President of the Republic of Ghana, to show commitment to resolving the issues as they seek diligently to find an amicable solution to the crises which have the potential of not only destroying the hard-won reputation of certain individuals, but also derailing the entire progress that the University of Education, Winneba, has made so far.
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