Dark Clouds Hovering over the University of Education, Winneba

 

It appears that on the blindside of the Ghanaian populace, the Government has privatized the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), and hence, has washed its hands off the University, and the University is now effectively in the hands of a bunch of wicked and vicious questionable characters parading as staff of the University on one hand, and a certain crook together with his criminal minded accomplices on the other hand.

If UEW is still state owned, how come a staff of the University who is alleged to have forged his birth and O’level certificates, single-handedly order rice for the University in December 2021 without regard to the processes laid down by the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663) as amended?

The rice in question was never planned for in the 2021 UEW Procurement Plan and therefore, no budgetary allocation; and there was no request for quotations prior to the delivery of the said rice. The alleged wrongdoers can cover their tracks at the University level by regularizing the ‘contract’, however, the UEW 2021 Procurement Plan is a public document and records are available elsewhere.

On the 22nd of December, 2021, the UEW Governing Council, Chaired by an NDC Card bearing member and appointed by this NPP Government (an insult to the teaming NPP members, including myself, who sacrificed resources for the NPP and voted for it to retain power in the 2020 elections), met, and among the issues discussed was the setting up of two (2) investigative committees.

One committee was proposed to investigate the plagiarism allegations levelled against the Ag. Vice-Chancellor (VC) of UEW, ‘Prof’ Andy Ofori-Birikorang; and a second committee was suggested to investigate Alhassan Salifu Bawah, for the only reason that he exercised his constitutional rights (and not for the offense of plagiarism), as enshrined in Article 21(1)(a) and (b) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, which is the supreme law of this country.

Thus, Article 1(2) of the 1992 Constitution provides that: “This Constitution shall be the supreme law of Ghana and any other law found to be inconsistent with any provision of this Constitution shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void”.
Therefore, the UEW Statutes, CANNOT in any way or form curtail the constitutional rights of any person.

The UEW Governing Council NEVER sanctioned the setting up of the above two (2) committees at the said meeting. The Minutes of that particular meeting are available to collaborate.

However, someone who erroneously hold the view that he has bought UEW from the Government, has proceeded to set up a committee to investigate Alhassan Salifu Bawah.

If UEW is still state owned and governed by the 1992 Constitution and the University of Education, Winneba Act, 2004 (Act 672) as amended, how come an individual with one of the biggest stomachs in the world, is openly defying the laws of this country? In any case, why not set up the two (2) proposed committees? One to investigate the plagiarism allegations and the other to investigate Alhassan Salifu Bawah?

I exercised my constitutional right of freedom of speech as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution.

Under Article 21(1), it is stated that all persons shall have the right to: (a) “freedom of speech and expression, which shall include freedom of the press and other media” and
(b) “freedom of thought, conscience and belief, which shall include academic freedom”.

From the above constitutional provisions, it is vividly clear that Ghana is NOT under any form of Military rule, and furthermore, UEW staff are not exempted from the exercise of these fundamental human rights and freedoms.

Therefore, under the current democratic dispensation, if a person feels offended by the comments of another person, whether in the print or electronic media, it is the law courts that the aggrieved party heads to, by way of a defamation suit, and NOT the setting up of a ‘kangaroo’ investigative committee.

Afenyo-Markin, who is alleged to be the cause of all the mess at UEW since 2017, did not take kindly to some of my publications about him, and sued me at the High Court in Accra in 2019. The case is still pending.

Bruno Chirani, a staff of UEW, also felt aggrieved about one of my publications following his failure to get the nod as the substantive Finance Officer of UEW, and sued me at the High Court, Winneba, in 2019.

Intermec (Gh) Ltd, also sued me at the High Court in Accra, following my petition to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to investigate alleged procurement breaches at the Ghana Water Company Ltd. (GWCL), where Afenyo-Markin was Board Chair. The said case is also ongoing at the High Court, Accra.

Did I tell anyone that am tired or bogged down by lawsuits? Just three (3) paltry lawsuits? I deserve more respect by way of more lawsuits than this.

The fundamental questions are: Did the UEW Governing Council hold meetings at plush hotels in Accra and Akosombo or not?

Did UEW incur costs by way of hotel bills or not?

Were the Council members paid allowances or not?

These are records that cannot be erased from UEW financial records by some corrupt persons and their cronies. Sue me if you have ‘balls’!

A copy of the original appointment letter(s) handed over personally to the investigative committee members, lays bare, the motive of the two (2) questionable characters at the helm of affairs of UEW.

Portions of the said letter stated that Alhassan Salifu Bawah, in a radio interview, together with some published articles, brought the image of UEW and GTEC into disrepute.

Sections of the UEW Statutes are quoted to enable the investigative committee rubber stamp the intended outcome. I will make this letter available to the public at the appropriate time.

In short, Alhassan Salifu Bawah, was convicted by the author(s) of the appointment letters of the investigative committee members before the investigation even commenced.

Why didn’t the appointing authority, just go ahead and write the dismissal letter of Alhassan Salifu Bawah? Why waste time and public funds to set up an investigative committee and tie the hands of the said committee members to produce a premeditated outcome, which at the end of the day, would soil the hands of the investigative committee members?

The investigative committee members raised fundamental legal issues against this crude and unconstitutional letter, and without shame of any sort, and not surprising; considering the size of the stomach of the main author, he swallowed his own ‘shit’ into his bottomless stomach. The said premeditated ‘death sentence’ order passed on Alhassan Salifu Bawah, was withdrawn, and another unconstitutional letter(s), for the investigative committee members, is/are on the way.

Another function usurped by the shameless UEW appointing authority of the investigative committee members, is the role of ‘Chief Prosecutor’ for GTEC. Which law(s) mandates UEW to serve as prosecutor for GTEC?

Maybe someone is so stupid and power drunk, and therefore, ought to be reminded that, GTEC is a corporate body, and as such, can sue and be sued. The current state of affairs at UEW is partially the making of some officials of GTEC as a result of their selfish interests.

The underhand dealings between some officials of GTEC and some questionable characters at UEW, is an open secret.
The vain attempts by some officials at GTEC to sweep a petition submitted to it under the carpet in respect of the alleged plagiarism allegations against the Ag. VC of UEW, is public knowledge. No wonder there is some sort of reciprocal gesture from the UEW beneficiaries of this cover-up towards the GTEC officials.

I am patiently waiting for the invitation to face this unconstitutional investigative committee, and the matter would be taken up from there. All options are on the table. Nothing is being ruled out.

If the state has abandoned UEW to its fate, then it is legitimate for those oppressed by the usurpers of the administrative authority of UEW, to deploy any defensive strategy against the unconstitutional acts of the questionable characters in-charge of UEW.

If not chaos, what does reasonable members of society expect from an NDC Card bearing member, chairing a public institution council under an NPP Government? The aim is to make the NPP Government unpopular and pave the way for the NDC to win the next Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

It is hoped that by the time the true and proper owners of UEW start to assert their legitimate rights over the institution, it wouldn’t be too late, because the speed at which the dark clouds are gathering over UEW, is supersonic.

I flourish when am hated and despised, so ‘stomach man’ or whatever you are called, please increase your hatred and dislike for me; I don’t give a fuck!!

The person(s) who have really brought the image of UEW into disrepute, is the current leadership of UEW. This fact is grounded on the disastrous admission figures for this academic year. The University’s image has been dragged in the mud as a result of all the evil machinations by some ‘thieves’ in UEW and their like-minded allies out there to gain control over UEW funds, and loot same.

The UEW Statutes clearly stipulates the setting up of a Search Committee to interview applicants for the position of VC and submit its report to the UEW Governing Council to discuss and appoint the next VC.

The Search Committee carried out its constitutional mandate, and duly submitted its report to the UEW Governing Council.

However, some individuals who were not qualified to apply for the position of VC of UEW at the time the advert was placed; and a known crook whose candidate fell short of the pass mark, then teamed up to subvert the constitutional process with regard to the appointment of the VC of UEW.

This same people who have subverted the UEW Statutes in the appointment of VC of UEW, are the same people invoking sections of same UEW Statutes, in their vain attempt to dismiss Alhassan Salifu Bawah from UEW. Contradiction and inconsistency at the zenith!!

I respect those who deserve respect and not that I fear anyone; for apart from Allah, I fear no one. The size of the stomach of an over glorified secretary, doesn’t scare me one bit!!

By Alhassan Salifu Bawah
(son of an upright peasant farmer)