<<Print>>

Minister of Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has described the ousted Vice-Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), Prof Mawutor Avokeh and the dismissed staff who stormed the University to reclaim his position as 'trespassers' who should be charged.

According to him, the only legitimate Vice-Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) is Rev Father Prof Anthony Afful-Broni even though the investigations by the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) has cleared the former Vice-Chancellor, Prof Avokeh and others of any wrongdoings.

At the “Meet The Press” series in the Conference room of the Ministry of Information on Wednesday, July 24, 2019, Dr. Opoku Prempeh said that “I can say without hesitation that there is only one Vice-Chancellor in UEW. If in this country we want to go in a lawless way, somebody can run from somewhere and come and sit in the Flagstaff House very soon and say I am the President. There is only one legal legitimate Vice-Chancellor, and that is Reverend Afful-Broni”.

He however advised those with a contrary view of the fact that Rev. Prof Afful-Broni remains the legitimate Vice-Chancellor to go through the legal process as the country is not prepared to accept this kind of lawless attitude.

“ . . anybody who doesn’t understand must go through the legal process. We are not and I repeat that we are not going to accept such a thing. Where will it end? Where will it end?”

“I am rather surprised that the Police have not charged the trespassers in court right now; I am rather surprised because even if you are, somebody must ensure that you are there. You can’t really run to a school, go and sit in the chair and say that you are the Vice-Chancellor; then all of us could have been Vice-Chancellors,” he admonished.

He maintained that it is not easy like that for the former Vice-Chancellor to go and take over as there is a process where he has to go through; thus, “you can challenge a process, you can go to court; you can challenge the process and even if you win, it has to be executed with all through a legal means. We are not and I repeat that we are not in a lawless state”.

Mr. Prempeh’s comments come on the back of attempts by Prof Mawutor Avoke, the ousted V-C, to reclaim his position.

Prof Avoke and five other officers of the university were temporarily injected for alleged breaches of office and malfeasance of a financial nature. After investigations by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Prof Avoke and the others were proven innocent and discharged of the said charges for which they were dismissed.

On Tuesday, 23rd July, 2019, Prof Avoke and the dismissed staff stormed the university to take over the school from the current V-C.

The police were called in to forestall any clashes as tensions rose on campus.

Meanwhile, UTAG-UEW is divided over the matter. One group is in support of Prof Avoke’s comeback while the other has described his actions as “scandalous”.