Public sector lecturers in Ghana’s universities Monday began an indefinite strike to resist what they describe as “an attack on academic freedom.”
The strike follows a court order asking the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Education Winneba (UEW) to step aside.
The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) says the imposition of an Acting Vice-Chancellor on the University of Education Winneba is against the University’s Act and Statutes and constitutes an attack on academic freedom.
A statement released here signed by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of UTAG said: “It is our firm belief that the issue at the UEW is an attack on academic freedom and thus affects all public universities in Ghana.”
The lecturers were thus withdrawing all teaching services across public universities in the West African country, says the statement.
President of the UTAG Harry Agbanu says the intended strike was necessary because it suspects that some faceless persons were manipulating the UEW management.
Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellors of Ghana has invited UTAG executives to a meeting on Monday to discuss the matter and find a common ground.
UTAG has given a one-week ultimatum to all stakeholders to resolve the matter, adding it will review its position on the indefinite strike at an upcoming Congress scheduled for Friday.
A Winneba High court in July ordered the Vice-Chancellor of UEW Mawutor Avokeh to step aside until a case brought against him and the University’s Governing Council was determined. The order also affected the institution’s Finance Officer.
The court order was the result of a suit filed by an indigene, Supi Kofi Kwayera who insisted that the Vice Chancellor and the Finance Officer were operating under the institution’s defunct Governing Council.
Kwayera argued that the University’s Council’s mandate had expired in November 2013, but the Education Ministry failed to constitute a new Governing Council for the university, and rather allowed and permitted the defunct Governing Council which had no mandate whatsoever to continue the functions of a properly constituted Governing Council as if same had been properly constituted.
The plaintiff insisted the move was unlawful, and hence his legal action against the University of Education, Winneba.
However, before the substantive claims were looked into, the University, through its lawyers, applied to the court to dismiss the suit on the three counts, but the application was dismissed. Enditem
Source: Xinhua/NewsGhana.com.gh
