The Bastardization Of The University Of Education, Winneba- (UEW)

As someone in higher education I cringe at the way this university has been turned into a football match. I have keenly followed the diatribe, collusion, interference and disregard of individual rights and the inability to pursue justice. Let me start off by saying that twenty plus years ago, very few academics would have wanted to be posted to UEW. However, over the years, this university has attracted international scholars and its graduates can be found all over the world engaged in teaching and improving the educational status of children. As I closely follow the UEW saga, I will start off by laying blames on specific individuals and entities.

The first person is Alex Afenyo Markins, the MP of Efutu constituency. In the run-up to the elections, he made too many promises and shortly after that realized he could not meet any of these promises, he coerced Supi Kofi Kwayera to be the front person for his grand agenda. All the Polytechnics and the Universities in Ghana were operating under alleged expired and extended councils. If he had the interest of UEW at heart, why did he not sue all the extended councils of the Tertiary Institutions? Rather, in his own myopic way singled out UEW. UEW was never an Efutu University.

It is a national university and belongs to all Ghanaians. Further along this line of inquiry, if a South African is qualified to be a Vice Chancellor at UEW, so be it. Unless Afenyo Markins wants to make us believe that because the University is situated in Winneba, then it has to be headed by someone from that area. If that premise holds water, then it should apply to all government institutions across Ghana. If you should cross examine the Kwayera guy, I bet you, he will not have a clue with regards to the ramifications of this sinister agenda. The second person in this grand agenda is the Judge of the Winneba High court, Judge AttoGraves Mills. I am not exactly sure what Afenyo Markins has on this judge. But he is the most corrupt judge I have ever come across. Just read his judgement and a first year law clerk will chuckle at his line of ruling. He has been bought and is in hands and gloves with Afenyo Markin.

My suggestion will be for the Judiciary Council to initiate an investigation into his activities at Winneba. Unfortunately, he will be retiring without ever making it to the Appeals Court. Additionally, he will retire as the most corrupt judge Winneba has ever had. The third person is the Rev. Aful Broni. Unfortunately, this man of God does not manifest the true teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is an epitome of greed, very revengeful and arsenic in his ways. He always wanted to be the VC. However, he was rated number three out of the three applicants. Even before the selection and competition, he started a media onslaught to advance reasons why he should be made the VC. A few of us recently reviewed articles that he had written and cross checked with some dissertations at UEW. Invariably, the good Rev. Broni just removed the names of some students and replaced them with his name and submitted articles for publication.

In addition, after reviewing all his articles, our conclusion was that the title PROFESSOR has been really cheapened. There is no way Rev. Broni could have been promoted from Associate to a Full PROFESSOR. To protect the privacy of these students, I will not mention their names in this write up. Another paper that was published in India, was unfortunately published in a predatory journal. Anyone can get published in this journal for a fee of $100. No questions asked. Another satanic move by this Rev is against a fellow colleague. Fulbright fellowship is one of the most prestigious awards any university will proudly support.

It is highly competitive and universities compete and boost about how many of their faculty members have won this award. I recently read that a faculty member who had won this award was given a termination letter. Additionally, I heard to my chagrin that his family has been given till the end of January to vacate the university premises. Sadly enough, there are a few retired faculty members who still live in university premises. Is this a manifestation of what Jesus Christ was all about? I am indeed surprised that, the Catholic Church has not invited him to explain his avarice and the tarnishing of their name. Among my colleagues, he has become a butt of jokes in the academic circles.

The next person in the grand scheme of this diabolic and sinister scheme is the Retired Associate Professor Abakah. In the first place my colleagues and I reviewed his publications. Truth be told, he should have retired as a Senior Lecturer. The mistake the government made was to appoint someone who was the VC of Jayee College to become a Council Chair to UEW, knowing very well that Jayee was under the auspices of UEW. Clearly, that was a conflict of interest. Secondly, Abakah left UEW as a bitter person. Obviously, he should not have been sent to UEW to serve on the council. A Council Chair is supposed to seek, fight and protect the interest of the University and its community.

However, in the ongoing legal tussle the Chair more than anyone has been in collusion with the Plaintiff. It appears the Council Chair is now the substantive VC of UEW. He publishes articles in the news media attacking individuals for looting without showing a shred of evidence. This is a Chair who is supposed to seek the interest of these individuals and at the same time protect the resources of the university. Abakah has become the main protagonist in the vicious cycle of attack on UEW. One thing that is germane with all these characters is that they all exhibit mediocrity. In academics, law and politics, they are all failures in their various professions. UEW is being run like a banana plantation with the Mafia in charge.

Fear, intimidation and revenge have now become the fuel that drives UEW. When did a University Council become an investigative arm of government? Don’t we have government agencies whose mandate is to investigate and persecute individuals? Abakah is almost eighty years. Instead of leaving a good mark before joining our ancestors, he is deploying his last years to witch hunt those he detests and envies. Finally, for the Ministry of Education to stand by and not mount a defense in this legal jamboree, they are also guilty of colluding with the above mentioned characters. Shame on all of you! You have cut the knees of a young growing university just because you do not know what excellence is and are filled with ethnic resentment. Because of you all, UEW has been thrown to the dogs. When the history of UEW is written, your names will be judged savagely.

Professor Kweku Sofoh: I can be reached at [email protected]