Uneasy calm on UEW campus over dismissals (VIDEOS & PHOTOS)

Graphic Online Mar - 12 - 2019 , 11:57 3 minutes read

There is uneasy calm on the campus of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), following the dismissal of three principal staff last Friday.

Those dismissed are Professor Ephraim Avea Nsoh, former Upper East Regional Minister and Principal of the College of Languages Education at Ajumako, Dr. Frimpong Kaakyire Duku who is the local President of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) and Dr. Emmanuel Osei Sarpong, a former Alumni President who was representing the alumni on the University Council.

Reasons for dismissal

Excerpts of the letter of dismissal in respect of Dr. Kaakyire Duku states that his conduct in respect of a court action he initiated, together with six other staff showed that he did not exhaust the internal structures of the University for settling dispute, before he proceeded to court and used the institutional time to go to court without seeking official permission.

For Prof Avea Nsoh, his charge is that he has not been cooperating with other management members.

Dr Sarpong on his part was dismissed based on an allegation that, he showed a sign of disrespect to the University Council, by deciding to exclude himself from a Council meeting, which he said was about taking a decision he was not comfortable with.

Students protest

The dismissals, made public last Friday, have resulted in a series of acts of disgruntlement on the part of some staff and students for which if not resolved immediately, teaching and learning may soon come to a standstill, according to some students.

The students on Tuesday morning blocked some principal streets on campus with stones and tables.

Holding placards some of which read "Bring back our lecturers, the students went round campus registering their displeasure at the action, reports Graphic Online's Gilbert Mawuli Agbey who was on the campus Tuesday morning.

Video above shows Dr. Kaakyire Duku explaining the reasons for the dismissal.

Gilbert Mawuli Agbey reported that the demonstrating students called for the dismissal of the Vice Chancellor, Rev. Fr Anthony Afful Broni and accused him of running a "one man show".

Academic activities came to a halt Tuesday morning as the students took over the forecourt of the administration block.

Personnel from the Ghana Police Service responded and were deployed on campus to prevent the students from destroying property.

Agbey reported that the Minister of State in charge of Tertiary Education, Professor Kwesi Yankah, was on campus to meet with the management of the university.

The students described the action by the Vice Chancellor as unnecessary and called for its "immediate reversal."

"They've given a dismissal letter to most of our lecturers whom we deem the right people for the work," one student said.

"What we are saying is they should bring back our lecturers because, we are suffering, level 400s are having their project, level 300s are also preparing for pre-internship.. today is today," another student said.

"They sacked lecturers here we didn't say anything and today, Dr Sarpong...no Dr Sarpong, No UEW, bring him now," one unhappy student chanted.