Investigate demolition of Legon tollbooth - VCG
Vice Chancellors, Ghana (VCG), an association of vice chancellors of public universities in the country, has called on the government to investigate the recent demolition of the tollbooth at the University of Ghana, Legon by operatives of the National Security and apply sanctions as necessary.
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It also urged the government to take urgent steps to restore confidence in the security as well as safety of life and property at all universities, particularly the public universities, adding that “by so doing, the public would be assured of the conducive environment required for teaching and learning at our institutions of higher learning”.
This was contained in a press statement issued in Accra and signed for and on behalf of the VCG, by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), Professor Akwasi Asabere-Ameyaw, after a special meeting by the VCG to discuss events at the University of Ghana regarding the implementation of road user charges.
Condemnation
It condemned the National Security Co-ordinator, Lt Col. Larry Bevlo-Lartey, for what it described as “not following due process as required by law,” saying: “It also took exception to the conduct of the Security Co-ordinator” since according to the statement, “he took the action at a time when the university had already taken steps to ease the traffic that has been cited as justification for the demolition of the structures.”
“This action compromised the security and safety of the university employees, students and property, as well as the conducive environment required for effective teaching and learning at the university,” it said.
The association was of the view that “in dealing with matters of the university, great care and circumspection must be exhibited, since universities exist as global centres of excellence for higher education and regional development.”
Call on government
It also said the VCG was ready to discuss with the government the roles the universities might play in seeking solutions to the challenges facing not only higher education institutions, but also the nation as a whole.
The statement said due to the inability of the government to match up with the ever-growing needs of the universities for both recurrent and capital expenditures, the public universities, including the University of Ghana, had over the last few years undertaken a number of projects aimed at mobilising resources from other sources to meet the needs of the university community.
It said the construction and resealing of the campus roads and raising user charges had been one of such efforts, not limited to only the University of Ghana, adding that the university also went through all the due processes required by its law and statutes in initiating this effort.
“The University of Ghana is a body corporate with perpetual succession. This means under Section 1(1) of Act 806 of 2010, the university is not a department of any agency, neither is it a wing of another department.
“Indeed, Section 16 of the Act prescribes the powers of the Council as follows: ‘(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the university Council shall have power to do or provide for any act or thing in relation to the university which the council considers necessary or expedient in its capacity as the governing body of the University”.
Setting the records straight
The statement said contrary to what was generally believed (that the university was bent on going on with the action despite instruction from the government to discontinue), it was actually in discussion with the government to ensure that both parties were satisfied.
It said it was only days after the event (demolition) that the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) wrote to the UG to provide documentation to show that due process was followed in awarding the contract, among other issues.