GTEC orders public tertiary institution officials to relinquish political party executive roles
The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has directed public officers serving in tertiary education institutions who also hold executive positions in political parties to resign from their party offices or vacate their public appointments.
The Commission has consequently instructed governing councils and management of public tertiary institutions to ensure strict compliance with the relevant constitutional and statutory provisions governing political neutrality in the public service.
In a statement signed by its Deputy Director-General, Prof. Augustine Ocloo, GTEC said the directive applies to senior officials, including vice-chancellors, principals, pro vice-chancellors, vice-principals, registrars, directors of finance, deans, heads of department and other officers occupying leadership positions.
“Accordingly, GTEC wishes to remind all heads of tertiary education institutions to ensure full compliance with these legal requirements,” the statement said.
Addressed to the heads of all tertiary education institutions, the statement cited Section 26 of the Political Parties Act, 2000 (Act 574), which provides that “a chief or a public officer shall not engage in canvassing in support of or against a political party or a candidate standing for a public election.”
GTEC explained that the law bars public officers from occupying executive positions in political parties in order to prevent actual or perceived conflicts between their official duties and partisan political interests.
“These provisions are intended to safeguard the neutrality and integrity of the public service and to prevent situations that may give rise to actual or perceived conflicts between official responsibilities and partisan political interests,” it stated.
The Commission also referred to the long-standing position of the Public Services Commission, which requires public officers who wish to actively participate in partisan politics or accept executive positions in political parties to first resign from public office.
“The Public Services Commission has also consistently reiterated that public officers who intend to engage in active party politics or assume political party executive positions are expected to relinquish their public office before doing so, in accordance with the applicable constitutional and statutory provisions,” it pointed out.
GTEC expressed concern over reports that some leaders and senior managers of public tertiary institutions continue to hold executive positions in political parties while occupying public offices.
According to the Commission, such conduct undermines the principles of political neutrality, impartiality and public confidence that are expected of leaders within Ghana's public tertiary education system.
“As institutions within Ghana's public tertiary education system, it is imperative that institutional leaders uphold the principles of political neutrality, impartiality and public confidence in the administration of higher education,” it stated.
The Commission urged all public tertiary institutions to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, integrity and political neutrality in the discharge of their responsibilities.
“The Commission trusts that all institutions will continue to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and political neutrality in the discharge of their statutory mandates to assist the Commission to ensure the effective and efficient management of the tertiary education institutions in Ghana,” it stressed.