Opinions of Thursday, 19 September 2019

Columnist: Stephen Nani

Afful-Broni expected to step aside as VC of UEW

Rev. Prof. Afful-Broni Rev. Prof. Afful-Broni

About a week ago, Acting Finance Officer of the University of Education, Winneba submitted a petition to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) requesting for investigations into an array of allegations leveled against the Vice Chancellor of the University, Rev. Prof. Afful-Broni.

The allegations in the petition are damning and require that the Vice Chancellor steps aside for investigations to be conducted into the issues raised.

The issues are as follow:

1. Withdrawal of 5.7 Million for university Account. The petition explicitly stated issues relating to the misappropriation of university funds as meant for the payment of honorarium for staff under the Institute of Distance and E-Learning was not paid dispersed appropriately as the funds allegedly retained by the Vice Chancellor with only a small amount disbursed to beneficiaries.

2. It is also alleged that the Vice Chancellor has persistently arbitrarily transferred staff and persons suspected to be against him and demoted staff who questioned his actions and decision. Recent among them is the promotion of Ruby Hanson, an Associate Professor who has only been Dean for a year to position of Pro Vice Chancellor, an appointment that is totally against the statutes of the University.

3. Afful-Broni apparently had also allegedly connived with Registrar of the University, Osei Barimah to dish out university funds to one lawyer John Darko who is also a Council Member. According to the petition, a sum of 924 thousand cedis paid to the said lawyer was laundered through the account on Paa Bash Construction Limited.

Another surprising attitude exhibited by the Vice Chancellor is his attitude of verbally assaulting senior lecturers of the university without regard to the setting nor persons present. With this attitude, many are wondering how such a character got ordained into priesthood.

Many at the University are also watching closely to see what action will be taken as a petition has been submitted to the Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Coast, Archbishop Charles G. PALMER-Buckle.

With these allegations as stated in the petitions to EOCO and Auditor General, one wonders why the Vice Chancellor is still at post. What else does the investigative bodies need to write to the Vice Chancellor to step aside for investigations to be conducted?