Massive Corruption And Maladministration At University Of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA)

Whenever the issue of gargantuan corruption is raised in Ghana, the focus by most people is always on political office holders. This is, however, a very big misconception. The worst form of corruption can easily be found at UPSA. The VC is often praised by the media and most non-governmental organisations (NGOs) like Imani Ghana for putting up mighty buildings for the University (e.g. the library complex and lecture theatres). What these people and organisations do not, however, know is that most of the contracts are awarded to a particular company, of which the VC and his brother are shareholders. If this is not corruption, then what is it?

Besides this, lecturers and other support staff have been denied their allowances for close to two years now all in the name of executing “massive projects”. The question that arises is: Did other VCs transform their Universities by denying their staff and lecturers their allowances? Or is it because those VCs are genuinely qualified professors with Ph.Ds and Prof? Alabi is not? Sometimes exam invigilators are either paid only about 10% of their allowances or totally denied the allowances. Is it not preposterous, for instance, for lecturers to forgo church service, funerals, outdooring ceremonies and wedding ceremonies to lecture on weekends only to be paid nothing at the end of the month? It is important for us to know that UPSA students (especially, weekend students) pay relatively higher school fees than the other public Universities. This notwithstanding, however, UPSA often runs out of paper and toner for printing of very essential documents including exam results. I am even told that sometimes lecturers buy their own papers to print Mid-Semester (IA) exam papers. Is this not absolute tosh? Last year alone, about 15,000 application forms were sold out by the University and yet outstanding allowances of hardworking personnel have not been paid. If this is not greed, then what is it?

Apart from this wicked behaviour being exhibited , there is also absolute violation of some of the rules and regulations of the National Accreditation Board (NAB) at UPSA. For instance, lecturers are chosen to lecture at the graduate school based on the whims and caprices of the Dean of the school (who is also the wife of the VC) and not on merit. Thus, it is common to see MBA holders teaching MBA students. Most Ph.D holders are rather assigned to lecture at the undergraduate level. In fact UPSA is virtually run by the VC and his wife and whatever the wife says is final!!!
Another issue of utmost concern is the fact that whereas in other public universities the positions of the dean and head of department (HOD) are rotational, at UPSA, it is almost permanent. For example, the HODs for Banking and Finance and Marketing and the dean for faculty of Accounting and Finance, Mr. Quartey (a.k.a. Prof. Moodle, a.k.a. Mr. Conference Marking) have remained in their current positions for about seven years now without being changed. In fact, the said dean even obtained his master’s degree just about two years ago but has been a dean all this while. This is totally unacceptable and can only happen at UPSA.

In view of what is currently happening, it is important that the Minister of Education, NAB, the media and other stakeholders take keen interest in how the VC is running the University. It is also about time that the entire staff (excluding the spies) of UPSA woke up from their slumber to ensure that the right things are done. After all, the University is a Public University (funded by the government) and not the property of any individual or couple. The rot is just too much.

JOSHUA OPHRI
(Former Senior Member, UPSA)