The office of the former President Jerry John Rawlings has in a statement responded to claims made by the University of Education in Winneba (UEW), over concerns raised by him during his speech at the 38th anniversary of the 31st December revolution in Winneba last year.

This follows a call by Mr. Rawlings for Vice-Chancellor of the University, Reverend Professor Afful-Broni to step aside to allow for some unspecified investigations to be conducted.

According to the statement sighted by GhanaWeb, it said; “The Former President Rawlings does not support any party in this issue. He is however very concerned with the entrenched positions taken by those at the helm of affairs at the University and their failure to appreciate the harm to not only the university, but also the global recognition of our educational institutions as well as the quality education of our wards at the university.

“We dare the University to do the following:
a. Publish the earlier Court of Appeal and Supreme Court rulings that quashed the earlier decisions of the High Court.
b. Publish the appointment letter of Prof. Mawutor Avoke and the terms therein for your intended education of the public.
c. Re-Publish your Press Release of 7th November 2017 which announced the decision of the Governing Council to interdict Prof Avoke and others – a position which contradicts your latest pronouncement.
d. Publish the EOCO Report,” portions of the statement said.

The statement, however, challenged the University to also publish the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) report that followed a probe into the matter.

The University of Education Winneba had earlier responded to the statement by Mr. Rawlings’ and branded it as misplaced.

Background

In 2017, A Winneba High Court ordered Professor. Mawutor Avoke to step aside until a malfeasance case brought against him and the University’s Governing Council was determined.

The case, which was brought before the court by one Superintendent Kofi Kwayera, who insisted that the Vice-Chancellor and the Finance Officer, were operating under the institution’s defunct governing council.

The plaintiff argued that the University’s Council’s mandate had expired in November 2013, but the Education Ministry failed to constitute a new Governing Council for the university and rather allowed the defunct Governing Council which had no mandate whatsoever to continue in the functions of a properly constituted Governing Council.

Superintendent Kofi Kwayera also alleged financial and procurement irregularities on the part of the Prof. Avoke.

Following the Court’s ruling in December 2017, Prof Avoke, together with some other Principal Officers of the University, were removed by the school’s Governing Council with management of the school, insisting Prof. Avoke will not be reinstated when the Supreme Court overturned the High Court decision which led to the removal.