UEW to elect Pro-Vice-Chancellor on Thursday after dismissal of court case

The University of Education Winneba, (UEW) has scheduled its election for a Pro-Vice-Chancellor on Thursday, November 23, 2019.

The Pro-Vice-Chancellor’s election was earlier slated for June 13, 2019, but was postponed a day before the election, due to a lawsuit filed against the institution by a lecturer, Dr. Kaakyire Duku Frimpong.

But the suit, challenging the Vice-Chancellor’s power to nominate three candidates to compete for the Pro VC position, was dismissed at the High Court in Winneba on Monday on procedural grounds.

Public Relations Officer for the University, Ernest Azutiga, told Citi News the ruling vindicates the University.

“The notice of the election has been announced. Come Thursday 21st November, we will have the election. We feel vindicated. It appears that over the years there have been some orchestrated plans to try to frustrate this administration by making sure that, whatever has been planned does not come on. I am sure that those who initiated this process were very aware that this case will not see the light of day. The only sought to buy time.”

Court ruling

The High Court in Winneba presided over by Her Ladyship, Justice Janapare Bartels Kodwo, on Monday threw out an injunction and certiorari application filed by Dr. Kaakyire Duku Frimpong against the University of Education, Winneba (UEW).

The injunction by Duku, a lecturer and President of the UTAG-UEW, sought to challenge the Vice Chancellor’s power to nominate three candidates for election to occupy the position of a pro-Vice-Chancellor.

Her Ladyship Justice, Janapare Bartels Kodwo dismissed the said application on procedural grounds and awarded a cost of 5,000 cedis against the applicant, Dr. Kaakyire Duku Frimpong.

Dr. Duku’s concerns 

Dr. Duku Frimpong had alleged in his suit that participation in the process for the election of a Pro-Vice-Chancellor was being limited to a chosen few to the disadvantage of other equally qualified persons.

He had told Citi News that the unlawful conventions must be immediately discontinued to allow for the right processes to be used in the selection.

“When you practice a convention for a period, it doesn’t make it a law. What used to be where senior-most professors were nominated, things have now changed. We need to revisit our statutes and use what the statutes say. The nomination should be avoided. Whoever is interested and qualified per the statutes should avail himself or herself to be elected,” he said.

This development comes in the wake of a request from the Member of Parliament for the Effutu Constituency, Alexander Afenyo Markin for the reinstatement of dismissed Vice-Chancellor of the school, Professor Mawutor Avoke.