<<Print>>

The Vice-Chancellor (V-C) of the University of Ghana (UG), Ernest Aryeetey, who has been in the news recently for all the wrong reasons, will not have his contract renewed, after exhausting his first four year term in five months� time, specifically August 2014. Ernest Aryeetey, might not be the only casualty as reports suggests that the 18-member University Council, which has four Government appointees including, the Chairman, Justice Dr. Samuel Kofi Date-Bah, will also be affected. This is according to discussions chanced upon by �The Herald� in the corridors of power at the Ministry of Education and Flagstaff House at Kanda in Accra. The Herald�s information, comes amid reports that Prof. Aryeetey, has expressed interest to some members of the University Council, led by Justice Dr. Date-Baah, and courting them to renew his contract when he puts in a bid. Prof. Aryeetey�s woes, stem from his insistent and uncompromising stance on some developments at the premier university, which has brought the image of the premier university into disrepute in recent days. The VC, had turned the University of Ghana into a Republic and assumed a position of President, taxing users of the university�s roads, even in the face of stiff opposition and anger from parents of the students of the University primary school and other basic schools. It is not yet clear, who will replace Prof. Aryeetey, who obviously has falling out of favour in the eyes of Government. The law establishing the institution; the University of Ghana Act of 2010, Act 806 reveals that the Vice-Chancellor is appointed by the University�s Council and he is answerable to the Council as its academic and administrative head and chief disciplinary officer of the University. By the law, the Chancellor and the University Council, wields more power and authority than Vice-Chancellor; indeed, Prof. Aryeetey is more of a figure head operating on the whims and caprices of two higher authorities. According to the law, he is to hold the office on the terms and conditions specified in the letter of appointment and ��shall hold office for a period of up to four years and is eligible for re-appointment for another term only�. On the terms of office of members of the Council, the law said, �a member of the University other than the Vice-Chancellor, who is a member of the Council shall hold office for a period of two years and is eligible for re-appointment for a second term�. It adds that �a member of the Council who is not a member of the University, shall hold office for a period of three years and is eligible for re-appointment for a second term�. The Herald�s findings are that aside the Government-appointed Council Chairman, three others on the Council are Professor John Meyer Hyde, Mrs. Elizabeth Adabor and Prof. Robert Domingo Baeta, were appointed by government. Dr. Elsie Effah Kaufmann and Mr. Alfred Quartey were elected by convocation, whiles those by appointment by the Council are J Klinogo, Richard Kwame Asante, Prof. Mahama Duwiejua, Mrs. Eileen Odartei-Laryea, and Dr. Max Price. There are nominations from Conference of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) represented by Samuel Ofori-Adjei, University of Ghana Alumni Association (UGAA) represented by Kwesi Yankey, Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG) represented by Joshua Bossman Ohene, Students Representative Council (SRC) represented by Edmond Kombat Biirbia. The rest are the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), represented by Dr. Langbong Bimi and finally Teachers and Education Workers Union (TEWU), represented by Augustine Saakuur-Karbo. It will be recall that last month, the University decided to charge motorists tolls for using it roads. The move attracted public uproar, leading to Government through the Chief of Staff, Prosper Bani, saying it was prepared to settle a loan the university claimed it contracted from an unknown bank. The university, claimed it had drawn it powers from University of Ghana Act 806 passed by Parliament in 2010, and continued charging the tolls, creating huge traffic jams on the Accra-Madina-Legon-Adenta highway. The traffic situation forced the National Security Secretariat to demolish a tollbooth at the Okponglo end of the entrance of the university, after warnings to authorities that it was causing public nuisance did not yield any fruits. Days after that popular incident, the Academic Board issued a statement directing the University to initiate court proceeding against Lt. Col. Gbevlo-Lartey, calling the early morning operation as an attack on the university. Later, the University of Ghana lecturers, led by a lady announced that it was preparing to petition President John Mahama to remove the National Security Coordinator. The administrator of the �sack Gbevlo-Lartey campaign�, Professor Akosua Adomako Ampofo, claimed that members of the University community, parents, friends and alumni, as well as some Ghanaians, both home and abroad, were signing a petition online and on hard copy, to make the demand. Yesterday, a group calling itself Vice Chancellors Association, described the security capo�s action as lawless as it did not follow due process. In a statement signed by Prof. Akwasi Asabre-Ameyaw, Vice Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba, after a February 27, 2014 meeting and issued in Accra, condemned Col. Gbevlo-Lartey�s unilateral decision to pull down the structures, indicating that the demolition �was done without prior discussions with the university management.� This was after parents of the university�s primary school and members of the public accused Prof. Aryeetey of abusing his authority.