Court reinstates Bolgatanga Technical University Vice-Chancellor Alnaa, two senior officers

The Bolgatanga High Court has ordered the reinstatement of the Vice-Chancellor of Bolgatanga Technical University (BTU), Prof. Samuel Erasmus Alnaa, and two senior university officers after quashing decisions by the institution’s Governing Council that led to their removal and sanctions.

The court held that the Governing Council lacked the required quorum when it took the decisions against Prof. Alnaa and the two officers, rendering those decisions unlawful.

The court consequently granted an order of certiorari, setting aside and quashing the decisions of the Governing Council.

The two other officers affected are Samuel Aduko, Director of Procurement, and Tom Mboya Asigri, Director of Works and Physical Development. They had been demoted and suspended for three months following the Council’s actions in June 2026.

The court also found that the Special Investigative Committee constituted by the Governing Council to investigate the matters was illegally constituted.

The ruling therefore clears the way for Prof. Alnaa, Mr Aduko and Mr Asigri to return to their respective positions, subject to any further legal or administrative steps arising from the judgment.

The latest development brings a new turn to a prolonged governance dispute at BTU that has involved the university’s Governing Council, management, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and other state institutions.

The dispute dates back to December 2025, when the Governing Council directed Prof. Alnaa to proceed on accumulated annual leave from December 19, 2025, to December 18, 2026.

The Council said the decision was intended to provide room for reflection, reconciliation and efforts to restore peace and confidence within the university.

GTEC subsequently intervened and directed the Council to stay implementation of the decision. The Commission described the proposed one-year leave as “unprecedented and potentially problematic” and maintained that Prof. Alnaa remained the substantive Vice-Chancellor and was deemed to be at post.

The disagreement later escalated after the Council proceeded with investigations into alleged procurement and financial management breaches.

On February 13, 2026, the Council constituted a Special Investigation Committee to examine allegations relating to a GH¢27.97 million GETFund-financed procurement contract awarded to M-Business Services Limited in April 2024, as well as the alleged unauthorised disposal of 866 items of university furniture.

The Council subsequently relied on the committee’s findings in terminating Prof. Alnaa’s appointment with effect from June 11, 2026. The decision was challenged in court.

According to reports on the Council’s position, the procurement contract was allegedly awarded without approval from the Central Tender Review Board, while the Council also raised concerns about aspects of the procurement process and the disposal of university property. The allegations formed part of the Council’s case against Prof. Alnaa and the affected officers and should not be treated as findings of criminal guilt.

The matter was also referred to institutions including the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the Financial Intelligence Centre and the Auditor-General for further investigation and possible proceedings.

The June decisions affected other senior officials as well. Mr Aduko and Mr Asigri were demoted and suspended for three months, while then Acting Director of Finance Solomon Awariya received a warning letter.

The controversy also spilled into Ghana’s technical university system. The Vice-Chancellors of Technical Universities of Ghana suspended BTU from their activities in June, citing concerns about the processes surrounding the suspension, investigation and termination of the Vice-Chancellor, as well as sanctions imposed on other senior officers.

The High Court’s latest decision, however, focused on the legality of the procedures used by the Governing Council rather than determining the substantive merits of the procurement allegations.

By finding that the Council did not have the required quorum and that the Special Investigative Committee was illegally constituted, the court has quashed the decisions arising from that process.

The ruling is consequently expected to have immediate implications for the leadership and administration of BTU, while potentially reopening questions about the handling of the procurement allegations and the university’s governance processes.

Prof. Alnaa had been serving as Vice-Chancellor and academic and administrative head of BTU before his appointment was terminated by the Governing Council in June 2026. His removal, together with the sanctions against the two senior officers, had followed months of disagreement over leadership, institutional governance and alleged procurement irregularities.

The latest court decision now places the issue of due process and the legality of the Governing Council’s actions at the centre of the ongoing BTU dispute.