Accountability in Ghanaian Universities

Accountability in Ghanaian Universities – Recap & Retort

“…It is clear to many observers that Ghana’s universities are not run like bureaucracies. They are run like fiefdoms. Precious little is based on merit or attention to process and results, like the way universities are run in progressive nations today. Unless you have a good public education business strategy, you will never be able to nurture your human resource for your national development enterprise. There is something to be said for promoting the Welfare of Students. There is also something to be said for critical thinking and challenge of the status quo. I have read great critiques of Ghanaian universities by students from some of Ghana’s universities. But I am yet to read a piece from Ghanaian professors carrying those arguments forward. That ought to tell you something. Prof Chen’s critique of UCC administrators is the exception. But Prof Chen is a Canadian, one Canadian who had serious questions about the manner Canadian aid is potentially being abused and misused by Ghana, even if indirectly. The response from UCC’s “Division of Public Affairs” was lame, laughable, and a gyration of unimportant facts. It allows UCC administrators who should be responding directly to hide behind all that waste and abuse. Abuse of power and privilege by Ghanaian university administrators must stop. The welfare of students ought to be job one, every time. That, my friends, is the bottom line to Prof Chen’s critique…” (A Critique of Ghana University Administrations, Prof Lungu, 27 Feb 08)

The on-going debate about the governance and performance of Ghana’s public universities would rank at the top of any list of useful debates on Ghanaweb. It is important because no African nation in the current global context can develop and pull its masses out of grinding poverty with mediocre and autocratic university educational systems. Besides, it is in the universities where critical thinking is nurtured, tested, and validated in support of the national/personal development agenda. But recent news and reports about Ghana’s universities from Ghana is are not encouraging, to say the least! Sad as that is, it is whole lot more unsettling to read pieces from others in the Diaspora who would ask less for Ghanaians than they are getting overseas. Also unsettling is the attitude by many university administrators and professors who will take every critique as personal and impugn all sorts of motives, other than a Ghana-centered one.

Although I agreed with some of the 6 points on accountability by Mr. Michael Boakye-Yiadom’s (Ghanaweb, 24 Feb 08), I thought that he compared apples to oranges and was asking for the wrong type of accountability from Ghana’s university administrators. Clearly, the performance and governance of Ghana’s public universities is not a public relations deficit (You read UCC response). Neither is it reasonable or helpful to suggest that Ghana’s universities must survive or perish based on success of private sector funding (privatization).

The problem for Mr. Michael Boakye-Yiadom’s is that all over the world, even with “Globalization and changing trends in higher education,” public universities are the responsibilities of the “public.” Ohio University, from where he wrote, is an Ohio public university with no less than 42 Residence Halls housing 8,000 students. Students pay tuition, lodging, fees and cost of books, sometimes with student loans, but the bulk of funding, including cost for infrastructure and capital improvements, are the responsibility of the State of Ohio and the US government. It got even more bizarre to see Mr. Michael Boakye-Yiadom’s list of “excellent” universities: Johns Hopkins University, Yale, Harvard, and Princeton. Problem is these are all private universities. Even so, these private institutions receive funding for their students and research/development programs from the US and respective State governments.

Why couldn’t Mr. Michael Boakye-Yiadom look around Ohio for examples of “excellent” public institutions and ask the same for Ghana’s students? Is it not the case that Ohio State University, The University of Akron, Cleveland State University, even Ohio University, are PUBLIC universities. And what is Mr. Michael Boakye-Yiadom, a Resident Hall Manager of one of those Residence Halls built or owned by the public for the use of students talking about any way? Why does Mr. Michael Boakye-Yiadom not want the same for Ghana’s students?

Then there is the case from UCC of Prof Chen who was let go apparently after the end of a Visiting Professor assignment, but before he and his spouse blogged about use of $65,000 cars by University of Cape Coast officials under prevailing grinding poverty condition for the masses in Ghana. As I sad, it was commendable that the Division of Public Affairs responded (Ghanaweb, 27 Feb 08). My hope is, Prof Chen will respond in time. Before I provide my thoughts on the matter at the UCC, here is the essence of the Prof Chen blog:

Read:

“...Canada reportedly contributes money directly to the Ghanaian government’s budget. According to the Government of Ghana’s website, direct foreign contribution makes up roughly $350 million of their budget… I don’t like the thought that Canadian tax dollars might be used to buy luxury SUVs to shuttle administrators around campus.. As a Canadian, I’m annoyed at the potential that our tax dollars are coming here to get wasted in the same manner.. As a Canadian, if we are to directly contribute to anyone’s budget, I’d like a higher degree of accountability…”

Some Things to Consider:

UCC is a public university. Many people are of the opinion that Ghanaian University administrators and professors are not serving their students well given the Ghanaian context, that they are simply not accountable or held accountable by legislators. That is a fact. The question is, considering the needs of the university for Computer Scientists, was Prof Chen denied extension of the professorship, if he applied to stay longer, or allowed to go without the University attempting to get him interested in the second teaching sabbatical to UCC or another Ghanaian university?

UCC says “…We can say categorically therefore that the University of Cape Coast has never received any direct Canadian monies. The citizenry of Canada can rest assured on this score….”

Really!! Did UCC actually read the Prof Chen blog? Do they understand the implications of their two sentences? Do UCC administrators think that we cannot tell that Ghana receives assets directly from the people of Canada that allows the university to spend monies on those things Prof Chen has problems with, because UCC now has funds for things that ordinarily will be funded by the People of Ghana? Won’t UCC agree that if you are going to take money from Canada, even indirectly, that you must make sure you use your own “native” assets in a wise and prudent way? And why is it that the welfare of UCC students is not mentioned even once in the entire 1,501 retort from the Division of Public Affairs? Finally, what makes the Division of Public Affairs think that “lines of cars…beautify (a university) campus?

The surprise for UCC is there are actually hardly any categorical statements in Prof Chen’s blog. That, to me, is a very measured statement. It is simply a critique!! UCC is a public university. Administrators cannot use that to bash Prof Chen and hide behind that foreign-visitor-ambassador-nonsense. That is as fair as one can get talking about something that causes one displeasure. There is nothing personal there. Prof Chen has done his duty for himself and for York University. On the contrary, it is the action of UCC administrators that is jeopardizing the welfare of that institution and tarnishing its image.

In conclusion, I will say that Ghana’s public universities must be fully funded by the public. But the Government and People of Ghana must require accountability on the part of university administrators regardless of any existing contracts. Administrators must be held accountable for how they run these institutions, programmatically and fiduciary. They must tell the people how what they do promote the welfare of its students. It is not in the interest of anyone to dig Rat Holes for university administrators. Ghana can raise all the funds in the world, however, if officials misuse the funds and fail to hire and retain qualified staff and personnel, it is students and the nation that will be the poorer for it, after the administrator has long retired with golden parachutes and $65,000 automobiles. That is the sure-fire way to drive away the Prof. Chens, the Dr. Yaw Berkos, and so many Diasporans who want to return but are hesitating because of the dark clouds of abuse of office, nepotism, corruption. Hope the next government gets to the bottom of University financing and programming given that President Kufour’s administration has failed to deal with this broken spoke of the wheel of development for Ghana’s progress.