Professors Must Be Wooed!

In the more advanced countries such as Germany and elsewhere round the world, professors play the roles of being the eyes of their nations. They not only conduct essential research that pertains to the countries strategic developments, but also constantly inform the country in question some of the things that must be watched as well as guard against in the vicinity. In short, they warn the nation about certain dangers that must be befalling on the nation if appropriate measures are not taken to tackle the said problems; be it economic or developmental issues. These roles are very conspicuous, therefore the authorities make it their priority to cater and nurture their professors because their responsibilities are significant and can be asserted to be indispensable to the nation's welfare.

However, when one comes to Africa and some Third World counties, these roles are not played by their professors. While some professors are timid and care not what direction their country turns, whether they be progress or catastrophes, others become visionless just as it is seen among their numerous politicians in the country. Hardly would one observes Professors in some African countries becoming intimately concerned with the nation's welfare as well as issuing warning messages which result from research or practical experiences in life.

This lack of concrete vision, which is seen among some of the distinguished professors in the continent, make it that some few that originate from no where or abroad become a threat to them when they come into contact with in the labour market. These latent experiences, which are often experienced by professors that come from abroad or no where, are not saliently talked about.

People prefer not to mention or discuss about these things because it is easy for them to find tangible reasons to give, such as there persons who they meet lack respect for authority or they are radical or possess some outdated ideas, which are harmful to students or the university system as a whole. They forget the fact that universities are the places where scholars from all walks of life come out with all sorts of ideas which are the sources of innovations, developments, and revolutions that had contributed to the progress of modern societies.

But if these threats are not being discussed in the open because of fear of the public and reprisals from the authorities involved, presently we intend to face facts and also suggest appropriate solutions that might solve the problems once and for all. Progress in the world had come about because of the presence of such men that fear not what people or a group of people would level against them due to hate they experience all around.

If these problems are not tackled once and for all, we may continue to live in darkness and academic poverty which might allow the tribalist ruffians and the university mafia to gain the upper hand in the universities in Ghana. This is one of the reasons why it is good that some God fearing people become politicians so that we do not leave this most important human experience field that cater for the society to non Christians alone.

Due to that fear that is there qualified professors from abroad and certain tribes in the country, I shall suggest to the NPP led government in the future setting up a board at the Ghana Education Services that will be responsible for the recruitment of qualified professors of Ghanaian origin into the public universities in the country. That whenever a Ghanaian professor from abroad intends to migrate into the country to help in the development of the beloved country, he/she should send his/her application to a special board at the Ghana Education Service who will consider his application and post them to the Universities where a need had been expressed or detected by these competent board members.

By doing that selection, we may be capable of employing some well-qualified academics of Ghanaian origin who want to avoid or dodge the politics involved in academic employment at the universities in the country. Moreover, this board should be capable of seeing to it that new academics' jobs should not be given to old professors on contract basis that takes double pay from the university in question.

This silly practice allows some pensioned professors to remain in certain universities in the country; they are the source of tribal problems and, in fact, they constitute the university mafia in the country. Because they do have influence due to successive governments of the NDC party, they are able to manoeuvre the situation and succeed in giving bad influence in the university system in the country.

Moreover, this silly practice adds waste to the economy of the university system in the country. Though this is being asserted not to exclude the work and contributions from our distinguished competent professors and emeritus professors from the university environments; these are usually conducting essential researches that are beneficial to the country.

We the NPP party in Ghana in the future expect to banish tribalism from the universities in Ghana and also to see that the work of the university mafia, which is being dominated by a segment of the minority tribes, be curtailed and destroyed once and for all.

Professor Desmond Ayim-Aboagye is a member of the NPP Party in Ghana. He is an Associate Professor in Åbo Akademi University in Finland and Uppsala University in Sweden. He lives currently in Ghana and continues his work as an academician and a politician.