Reinstating Prof Avoke: We don’t expect any more litigation – Effutu Traditional Council

The Effutu Traditional Council says it expects that no further litigation will be pursued by the University of Education Winneba (UEW) after the Winneba High Court ruled that the school’s Vice-Chancellor (V-C), Prof. Mawutor Avoke, and other staff who were dismissed in 2018 be reinstated.

In a statement signed by the President of the Traditional Council, Neenyi Ghartey VII, the Council said it expects that the school will comply and bring to an end the longstanding impasse that has bedeviled the school and that the university must take steps to end any dispute among the staff.

“The Effutu Traditional Council has been informed of the decision of the Winneba High Court in respect of reinstating some officers of the University. The fact that Council is being directed by the Court to ensure compliance, the Traditional Council looks forward to Council’s expeditious action in respect of the order without further litigation,” the traditional council stated.

“In view of past turbulences which affected the image of the school and by extension Winneba, we also entreat Council to put in measures that will ensure a manifest reconciliation for peace to reign without further rancour,” portions of the statement read.

In 2017, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Mawutor Avoke was instructed to vacate his post until a case against him and the University Council by one Supi Kofi Kwayera had been determined.

Kwayera, represented by NPP MP for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo Markin, had claimed that the University Council’s mandate expired in 2013; but that the Education Ministry had failed to constitute a new Governing Council.

Kwayera and his NPP Lawyer had also alleged financial and procurement irregularities against Prof. Avoke.

Based on these, the University interdicted Prof. Avoke and four others after it emerged that some vital documents at some offices at the centre of an ongoing investigation had disappeared.

It was never lost on observers that the decision was political persecution by the Akufo-Addo government, with the president traveling to Winneba to attend the investiture of Prof. Avokeh’s deputy, Rev. Father Prof. Anthony Afful-Broni in his place even though the issue had not yet been determined by a court.

Later on, a Fact-finding Committee that was set up to look into the matter recommended the dismissal of Prof. Avoke and others based on the false allegations in August 2018. The Governing Council of the University then appointed Rev. Fr. Professor Anthony Afful-Broni as the substantive Vice-Chancellor for a limited period of three years.

However, on February 2, 2022, the Winneba High Court ordered the University to reinstate Prof Mawutor Avoke as the substantive Vice-Chancellor of the Institution. The Court presided over by Justice Aboagye Tandoh also charged the University to reinstate the other four principal officers who were “unlawfully” dismissed to their former grade.

The four are the Finance Officer, Dr Theophilus Senyo Ackorlie, Daniel Tetteh, Mary Dzimey and Frank Owusu Boateng. It also ruled that their salary arrears must be paid from the date they were removed from their respective positions.

Source: Whatsupnewsghana