Minister 'Shoots Himself In The Foot'!

Prof. Kwesi Yankah, Minister of State in-charge of Tertiary Education, is reported in the media, admitting that he was unaware of what transpired at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), leading to the dismissal of Prof. Mawutor Avoke and 5 others.

In the said report, the Minister admitted: “I have been away for a while and I have not been in touch with them to explain the entire circumstances ......"

The Minister, from the above extract, has admitted that it is his fault that he is not in the know regarding the processes adopted, leading to the dismissals.

There is an admission that he was away, and proceeds to accept the fact that, he has "not been in touch with them to explain the entire circumstances..."

What is more troubling is his further admission that he was yet to go through the huge pile of documents on his desk; and yet he proceeded to make his wild comments!

Was it possible that there was already a letter from the UEW Governing Council on his desk?

Alternatively, Prof Kwesi Yankah could have checked with his boss, the substantive Minister in-charge of Education! Prof Yankah accepted responsibility for not getting in touch with the Governing Council of UEW or his Minister of Education for an update on the dismissals.

Why was he in such a hurry to speak to the press on a matter he had not apprised himself on?

Therefore, is it the fault of the Governing Council that the Minister is 'ignorant' of the circumstances of the dismissals?

Under normal circumstances, Prof Kwesi Yankah would have earned himself more respect from all and sundry, if he had adhered to the most basic administrative procedure, by making contact with the Governing Council of UEW, quietly, instead of exposing his 'ignorance' to the wider world through the interview he granted to Citi News on Monday 2nd September, 2018.

With all due respect, Prof Kwesi Yankah appears to have ridiculed himself, 'big time'!

Alhassan Salifu Bawah
(son of an upright peasant farmer)