The University of Education, Winneba (UEW) is currently grappling with an abnormal situation of having two Vice Chancellors, as a result of a protracted leadership litigation that has engulfed the learning institution.
The litigation, which has dragged for nearly two years, causing divisions in the university and other stakeholder institutions, seem far from over, as the Governing Council has to overcome the present challenge of having two Vice Chancellors.
Rev. Prof. Fr. Anthony Afful-Broni was inducted into office as Vice Chancellor in September this year, following the absence of then Vice Chancellor Prof Mawutor Avoke, who was removed from office after a Winneba High Court, in May 2018, declared that he and others were occupying office illegally.
The university also purportedly indicted and dismissed him for procurement irregularities, an issue that generated intense impasse in the institution. The induction of the new VC was conducted irrespective of a pending suit by Prof Avoke, challenging his removal.
However, the Supreme Court on October 31, 2018, quashed the Winneba High Court ruling which led to the removal of Prof Avoke and the others.
In that regard, the Lawyers of Prof Avoke, have written to the school’s Governing Council directing it to prepare the office of their client to enable him to resume work on Monday, November 26, 2018.
The lawyers also want same accord to be extended to former Finance Officer of the University, Dr. Theophilus Senyo Ackorlie, citing the recent Supreme Court ruling on the dismissal as grounds for their demands.
“In effect, immediately the said judgement of the High Court, Winneba, was quashed by the Supreme Court on 31st of October 2018, our clients automatically resumed the erstwhile positions they respectively held in the university prior to the decision of the High Court, Winneba dated 2nd May, 2018,” the letter stated.
Technically, the university has two Vice Chancellors.
After suffering from months of litigation and attendant cost including divisions, strike actions by lecturers and students, the university council is yet to indicate how it intends to resolve the new challenge.
Perhaps the cost of the litigation could have been avoided if the parties had resorted to mediation that would have ensured an amicable, speedy, inexpensive and confidential resolution of the matter, while addressing all interests.
According to mediation analysts, the impasse could have been resolved through dialogue from the onset, but the university failed to heed to advise to resort to mediation.
By Edmund Mingle/adrdaily.com
