General News of Friday, 11 October 2019

Source: mynewsgh.com

Sex for grades: Legon has been disgraced – Professor Agyekum

The documentary was produced by BBC's Africa Eye The documentary was produced by BBC's Africa Eye

A Senior Lecturer with the University of Ghana (UG), Legon Professor Kofi Agyekum is of the view that the institution has been disgraced following BBC Africa Eye’s exposé dubbed “sex for grades”

"If we say it is not a disgrace to the university then I may be lying to you…in all angles, it is a big disgrace to the university”, he disclosed on Accra-based Peace Fm monitored by MyNewsGh.com.

He however faulted the BBC for giving a misleading headline to the documentary when in actual sense, the content varied completely from what was contained in the teaser.

“But if you also look at the angle of the BBC, the content and title must correspond. Sex for grades so what many were anticipating was that you have reached a stage where the Lecturer may tell the student you have failed in this grade so if you allow me to get you laid I will pass you but if you don’t then you remain failed”, he said

The matter is currently being investigated by the University’s Anti-Sexual Harassment Committee which is urging all persons to provide evidence of sexual harassment by any lecturer.

This call is not only restricted to current students but also those who have completed the university.

Dr. Margaret Amoakohene the Chairperson of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Committee of the University of Ghana (UG) said the call is to afford persons who did not know of the existence of her committee and therefore suffered in silence the opportunity to have justice.

“Come forward if you have evidence to show that during your four years stay on the University of Ghana Campus this happened to you.

“The (BBC) documentary is like the first point that we received something to work with. The next thing is to invite people who think they have been victims in times past or they are currently being victimized to come forward.



“We are going to invite persons who have encountered these two lecturers or any others to come forward,” she said on Tuesday.

But Professor Agyekum believes persons who have personal hatred for lecturers may use such an opportunity as a floodgate to embarrass them.

“A student may have indeed performed badly in his thesis and will use such an opportunity to report the lecturers of sexual harassment when that is actually not the case. I know the committee is made up of very good persons and I trust they will do a good job”, he said.