...Over V-C's Position

THE KWAME Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Council, chaired by Prof. Emeritus Kufuor, meets today over the impending vacancy in the Vice-Chancellorship position.

The Council is expected to take a firm decision whether to advertise the impending vacancy or bend the rule by granting an unprecedented two-year extension to the incumbent, Prof. J.S.K. Ayim, who retires at 60 in August, this year.

The outcome of today's council meeting will be a deciding factor, as interested parties threaten another legal tussle.

Chronicle gathered that some concerned lecturers are making plans to legally challenge any attempt to extend the tenure of office of the vice- chancellor.

They have advised the University Council, headed by the President's brother, to do what they say is the right thing by advertising the vacant position much earlier, as practised by University of Ghana, University of Cape Coast and even the University for Development Studies at Tamale.

Chronicle learnt that Prof. Ayim had been lobbying politicians, traditional rulers and Council members to ensure that his term of office is extended.

It is reported that he has already altered the official agenda for today's Council meeting prepared by the University Registrar to reflect his own ambition to remain in office.

VC Ayim, Chronicle gathered, has already applied for an extension of tenure of office, citing Article 199 Clause 4 of the 1992 Constitution, which states in part that "a public officer who has retired from public service after attaining the age of 60 years may where the exigencies of the service require, be engaged for a limited period of not more than two years at a time."

Opinions sampled by the Chronicle have questioned the need to set "an unnecessary precedent" when KNUST is endowed with many professors who qualify for the vice-chancellorship.

Chronicle sources referred to the immediate past VC, Prof. Amonoo-Neizer, who, at 59, was not given the chance to reach the compulsory retirement age.

Prof. Ayim's appointment three years ago was preceded by a prolonged two-year legal battle.