Private Universities' Owners Withdraw Huge Sums Of Money Meant For Salary Workers!

Make occasional visits to some of our best well-known Private Universities in Ghana, and one would discover that their staff members look pensive and morose all the time because of the characteristic behaviors of the so- called Reverend Doctors who founded or established them and as a result own them.

One would think that since they are paid regularly every month, together with the workers in these universities, they would wait untill the end of the year accounting or bookkeeping, when it had been declared that all expenses had been sorted out, before they could make any eventual huge withdrawal. No, that is not what happens. Instead, their most qualified accountants would be there, and these so-called Founders of Private Universities would come and withdraw huge sums of money, as a result, these universities would not be able to pay their workers for the next two to three years. This has been observed as the usual practice in most private tertiary institutions in the country.

The point to be made here is that these Reverend Doctors who used to call themselves “Professors” or “Holy Ghost Professors”, and had been banned by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) of late, do not know the difference between themselves and the Companies they own. They see them as one entity. Yes, they are their properties[we know, we are well aware], but not until workers and expenses are fully settled these Reverend Doctors should not be snatching money like they have won a lottery in Las Vegas, when they had already been paid their monthly salaries like all workers. These ignorant and naïve behaviors [characteristic of African businessmen] had been repeated very often, such that some of their workers had experienced two to three divorces because their salaries are not flowing regularly like their counterparts in the Public Universities. An interview with a knowledgeable person revealed that these Reverend Doctors, on the other hand, are rich and they boast always in front of their University Board Members, having made millions in their coffers, while their workers suffer at their expense.

Think of one Reverend Doctor (A), who owns one of the most popular Private universities in Ghana. Even though he had built a personal mansion at the outskirts of the Capital city, which he had pumped so much money into because he is well-known as an extravagant fellow, he refuses to go and live in this beautiful mansion. But rather insist on staying in the multi-million cedis mansion which the university has as its property. Meanwhile, the utilization of this multi-million cedis mansion [2 million USA Dollars] could bring well over 700,000 Ghana cedis per year to the income of the Private University if it were to be leased or rented for the Ghanaian business market. But at the same time, the university pays all the expenses for this pensioner who feels no shyness retiring in his own personally-built mansion, which lies in an appropriate location on the outskirts of Accra. One informant told me that this man is always harassing his accountants about his exorbitant money withdrawal, such that now this Private University has lost almost all the qualified accountants who were hired by the Reverend Doctor. When this man preaches, Angels would fall down to worship him.

Thank God, Ghana GTEC has banned him from using the “Holy Ghost Professor” title. He is also banned from giving them out as gifts to his cronies hired to administer his university. One woman told me that since she was employed in this private university, the Holy Ghost Professor had given more than four “Professorships” to people who were never peer reviewed but still used the Professor title in the country. So far, only one has been caught and apprehended by the GTEC, and she believes that with time, all of them will surrender their titles or seek an appropriate manner these titles will be judged by legitimate authorities abroad or at home.

IMPLICATION FOR ACTION
The investigator appeals to GTEC to implement a policy: After Reverend Doctors, who are founders, receive their regular weekly or monthly salaries, they should only be permitted to withdraw additional funds meant for salary workers once annual bookkeeping confirms that all expenses and salaries are fully paid. Then, upon verification by a Government Auditor, further withdrawals for founders can be authorized. Enforcing this clear rule will help protect university employees and bring significant positive changes to private universities in Ghana.

Professor Dr. Desmond Ayim-Aboagye is Professor of Psychology of Religion. He is also an educator. He is a lecturer at Regent University College of Science and Technology, Accra, Ghana.

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