Take Disciplinary Action Against UG Lecturers Behind Fake Election Polls — ASEPA

ASEPA Executive Director Mensah Thompson

The Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) is calling for disciplinary action against University of Ghana lecturers behind what he described as fake election polls purportedly put together by the Political Science Department of the tertiary institution.

The polls which predict victory for President Akufo-Addo today according to ASEPA is the sole handiwork of one Dr. Owusu Mensah who has been contracted to publish fake polls to hoodwink the public.

Earlier this month, a Facebook post by one Edudzi Tamakloe suggesting that the Department has conducted some polls and was shelving it.

The Political Science Department agreed to issue a disclaimer and duly dratted the rebuttal. The disclaimer was given to the Head of Department to be issued stating they have not conducted any polls this year.

However, the Head of Department Dr. Maame Adwoa Gyekye-Jandoh failed to publish the rebuttal which had been agreed upon by the entire members of the Department, drafted and dated November 1, 2020.

At a press conference in Accra on Thursday, ASEPA has leveled allegations against some lecturers at the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana of what they say is an attempt to connive to launch fake polls aimed at influencing the outcome of the 2020 Elections.

Expressing disgust, ASEPA says the Disciplinary Committee of the University of Ghana should conduct investigations into the matter and ensure those behind the polls are punished.

“We believe that these actions by Dr. Owusu Mensah and the Head of Department of the Political Science Department cannot go unpunished for attempting to bring the name of the University into Public ridicule.

“We demand that University Disciplinary Committee Commences immediate investigations into this matter and sanction lecturers who may be found complicit in this brute attempt to defraud the public”, portions of a press statement from ASEPA signed by Executive Director Mensah Thompson has said.

Meanwhile, ASEPA says they are preparing to petition the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to launch criminal investigations into the matter since it is a classic case of Academic Fraud.

Read the full press statement below:

Press Statement by ASEPA on the Fake University of Ghana Polls by the Political Science Department- ASEPA Calls for Disciplinary Action Against Lecturers Publishing Fake Polls in the Name of UG

ASEPA EXPOSES UNIVERSITY OF GHANA ON FAKE POLLS

We have called you here to demonstrate to how some lecturers at the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana has connived to launch a fake polls clearly aimed at influencing the outcome of the 2020 Elections.

First of all, we want to State Categorically that the University of Ghana, Political Science Department has NOT conducted any polls on the 2020 elections.

The polls being launched today is sole handiwork of one Dr. Owusu Mensah who has been contracted to publish a fake polls to hoodwink the public.

Earlier this month, a Facebook post by one Edudzi Tamakloe suggesting that the Department has conducted some polls and was shelving it was brought to the attention of the department.

The department agreed to issue a rebuttal or disclaimer which was drafted.

The disclaimer was given to the Head of Department to issue on behalf of the department.

The Disclaimer stated categorically that the Department has NOT conducted any polls this year.

The Head of Department failed to publish this rebuttal which had been agreed upon by the entire members of the Department and letter draft was on the 1st of November,2020.

Only for the same head of department who had written and signed those rebuttals to on the 24th November issue an invitation to members of the department that a survey has been conducted on the 2020 elections and they are invited to participate in the dissemination of the information.

This situation has seriously angered a lot of the lecturers of the department who feel the name of the University and for that matter the department to was being used for personal gains!

It is important to bring these issues currently happening at the department of Political Science at the University of Ghana to th en attention of the Media and for that matter the public because it borders on the intergrity of the premier University of this Country.

That individual members of the University can initiate research activity in a private capacity and want to hang the results in the name of the University.

Secondly, which serious Academic Institution would decide to publish a poll at this critical hour leading to a major elections?

We believe that these actions by Dr.Owusu Mensah and the Head of Department of the Political Science Department cannot go unpunished for attempting to bring the name of the University into Public ridicule.

We demand that University Disciplinary Committee Commences immediate investigations into this matter and sanction lecturers who may be found complicit in this brute attempt to defraud the public.

We also preparing to petition the Criminal Investigations Department to launch a criminal investigations into the matter since it is a classic case of Academic Fraud perpetuated by these lecturers.

Mensah Thompson

Executive Director, ASEPA

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