More trouble for disputed Ho Technical University Vice-Chancellor

The woes of the Vice-Chancellor of the Ho Technical University is dipping by the day with reports that he is under multiple investigations over his academic qualifications, as well as some financial malfeasance and procurement issues, which have taken place at the institution.

While, the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) is mentioned to be investigating both his qualification and the financial issues, the university’s council, has also constituted an Ad-hoc committee to investigate allegations regarding the award of doctor of philosophy Degree (Ph.D) and the use of the title “Doctor” by Professor Ben Quarshie Honyenuga

The EOCO investigation initiated by the Union Chairman, Albert Sakabutu, has been on for some time now, but it is not clear when the EOCO investigations will end.

The Herald is, however, informed that the Ad-Hoc committee is sitting today in the Conference Room of Freedom Hotel, Ho in the Volta Region.

The Herald is informed that the committee has written two Faculty Members; Dr. Richard S. Akplotsyi and Dr. Cephas Bosrotsi, who have taken issues with the academic qualification of Professor Ben Quarshie Honyenuga, to appear before it and speak to the issue.

This comes after the same university had rubbished a publication by this newspaper that the Ministry of Education and Council of Tertiary Education, have both taken issues with Professor Honyenuga’s appointment as Vice-Chancellor of the Ho Technical University, because of controversies surrounding his academic qualification.

The Herald learnt that the Minister of Education, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, had even moved to revoke the appointment of Professor Honyenuga as the Vice-Chancellor, but this has since been denied by both university’s registrar, Dr. C.K Amehoe and the Ministry of Education.

Strangely, however, the same university has constituted a committee to investigate the same matter it had in a press statement discounted in the wake of The Herald’s publication.

Meanwhile, This newspaper is informed about emissaries sent to the Minister of Education to plead with him to rescind his decision to revoke Professor Honyenuga’s appointment.

The emissaries were said to be bigwigs of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Volta Region and Traditional rulers. These traditional rulers are said to be meeting the Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Lets a, over the controversial appointment.

Insiders told The Herald that a crunch meeting was last week Friday held over Prof. Honyenuga’s continuous stay as the head of the school, with the Minister of Education very adamant in his resolution to okay the appointment, especially when EOCO is investigating the man.

It has, however, been affirmed that the position of Vice-Chancellor, will be re-advertised in the newspapers since the appointment of Prof. Honyenuga, did not follow the proper procedure. This is seen by many as a subtle a revocation of his appointment which was influenced by the Chairman of the University Council, Prof. Emmanuel James Flolu.

But ahead of today’s meeting, the two Faculty Members; Dr. Richard S. Akplotsyi and Dr. Cephas Bosrotsi, have jointly responded to the Interim Registrar of Ho Technical University in response to the publication in the Herald Newspaper on February 13, 2019 on the appointment of Prof. Honyenuga.

Below is what they said detailing the issues with respect to Prof. Honyenuga’s academic qualification and controversial appointment;

“In the said Press Release, by the Interim Registrar, Dr. Christopher Amehoe, our names (Dr. Richard S. Akplotsyi and Dr. Cephas Bosrotsi) were mentioned and we wish to set the records straight and erase the erroneous impression that the said press release sought to create.

We would like to put on record that our petition is in no way connected to the news of the revocation of the appointment of Mr. Ben Honyenuga as Vice Chancellor of Ho Technical University.

We wish to state that the aim of our petition on the acquisition, acceptance and use of the title ‘DR’ by Mr. Ben Q. Honyenuga, is to unravel how he got the PhD and not whether the PhD certificate is accredited or otherwise. Hence, the Interim Registrar’s claim that National Accreditation Board (NAB) has cleared Mr. Ben Honyenuga’s PhD as accredited, is misleading.

We also wish to put on record that, NAB has not given us, (the petitioners) any copy of the said clearance letter as stated in the press release issued by the Interim Registrar which was purported to have been written on 13th December,2018.

In that regard, the claim by the Interim Registrar could not be true.

We also wish to submit rhetorically that, if indeed the said clearance letter being referred to by the Interim Registrar existed and he believed that it had brought finality to our petition, why did he write a letter to us on the 25th day of January,2019, to provide further evidence so Council could investigate Mr. Ben Honyenuga’s PhD and report to the NCTE, when Mr. Ben Honyenuga had already been appointed by the same Council as Vice Chancellor on 18th January,2019? (Find attached copy of the letter).

Subsequently, if it is also true according to the PRO of Education Ministry’s interview with Joy news @6pm on Monday 18th February, 2019 that ‘Mr. Ben Honyenuga’s PhD has been confirmed to be appropriate through a private search conducted by the NCTE, why did the University Council constitute an Ad-hoc Investigative Committee on the directives of the NCTE in a letter dated 17thSeptember, 2018 and wrote to the petitioners on 18th February 2019 to appear on the 25th day of February, 2019 for investigations to commence into the allegations regarding Mr. Honyenuga’s PhD. (Please refer to letters attached)

That said, we wish to apprise the general public on what exactly our petition was all about.

On 18th June, 2018, we petitioned the then Interim Vice Chancellor, Prof. Emmanuel Sakyi, on the acquisition, acceptance and use of the title ‘DR’ by Mr Ben Honyenuga and got an irreverent reply quoting to us “Mathew 7: 5”. We, as a matter of procedure, petitioned the Council through its Chairman on 27th June,2018 and received a reply from the Interim Registrar dated 6th July, 2018acknowledging receipt and advising that the impending academic staff audit of Technical Universities shall resolve the issue.

We further petitioned the NCTE, NAB and EOCO since we believed the nature of the impending staff audit by NCTE would not be able to unravel the mystery surrounding Mr Honyenuga’s PhD.

The facts of the issues are as follows:Mr Honyenuga was on record to have begun his PhD in Maastricht School of

Management in the Netherlands from 2009. In June, 2013, instead of a PhD, the Rector’s 13th Congregation report captured Mr. Honyenuga as having obtained an MPhil from Maastricht School of Management, Netherlands. Even after the award of the MPhil, Mr Honyenuga insisted that he was still enrolled on the PhD programme at the Maastricht School of Management and obtained several permissions to travel in the name of meeting his supervisors at Maastricht.

Hence all available records from 2009 to June, 2014 have it that Mr Honyenuga was astudent of Maastricht School of Management, University of Maastricht until he came back with a PhD certificate in Management Sciences from the Open University of the Netherlands in July, 2015. It is also not on any record in the University that Mr Honyenuga was ever a student of Open University in the Netherlands.

Therefore our petition only sought answers to the following questions:1. Why did Mr Honyenuga, who was sponsored to pursue a PhD at theMaastricht School of Management in the Netherlands finally submitted an

MPhil. to the University instead of a PhD?

What action did the University take to unravel the reason behind the award of a lower degree to Mr. Honyenuga by Maastricht School of Management,(that is even if Maastricht School of Management offers a PhD or an MPhil).

When did Mr Honyenuga enroll on the PhD programme at The Open University of the Netherlands, and was Ho Technical University officially informed by an admission letter? Did Mr Honyenuga submit academic progress reports on his PhD at the Open University to Ho Technical University? Was the PhD certificate of Mr Honyenuga subjected to National Accreditation Board’s (NAB) verification prior to its acceptance and at which Appointments and Promotions Committee sitting (Senior Members) was the certificate considered and approved? Who can best be described as an “Institutional non-conformist and a rebel working to tarnish the hard won reputation of Ho Technical University”?

Is it the one who insists that due process is followed at all times in line with the laws, statutes and policies of the University? Or The one that has no regard for due process and takes arbitrary decisions which inmost cases brought the University into public ridicule? Well, your guess is as good as ours.

Finally, let us remember that in a society where rules and regulations are sidestepped,the few who insist on right procedures and universal principles are considered rebellious.

Thank you.

DR. RICHARD S. AKPLOTSYI – 0205050000 SNR. LECTURER, HTU

DR. CEPHAS BOSROTSI – 0208269657 SNR. LECTURER HTU

Issued this day

The 20th Day of February, 2019