UEW crisis: Never again; let’s unite, let bygones be bygones – Afful-Broni

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), Rev. Fr. Prof. Anthony Afful-Broni has described as “unfortunate”, the recent happenings on the Winneba campus which led to rioting by the students, which, in turn, resulted in the destruction of properties and the temporary closure of the school.

The student body and alumni were unhappy with the sacking of three lecturers – Prof. Ephraim Avea Nsoh, Dr. Emmanuel Osei Sarpong, and Dr. Frimpong Kwaku Duku – and embarked on a series of protests, one of which turned violent, leading to the temporary closure of the school.

The V-C cited misconduct and insubordination among other reasons, for sacking the lecturers, who denied any wrongdoing.

The students and the alumni and members of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) called for the resignation of Prof. Afful-Broni, since, according to them, the V-C was victimising the staff of the university who were against his appointment.

But on 3 April 2019, the Governing Council of the University reinstated the three lecturers and reopened the school on 8 April 2019 after almost a month of closure.

Speaking for the first time about the rumpus, the V-C, while addressing the university’s 23rd Master's Degree graduation ceremony at the Jophus Anamoa Mensah Hall on Friday, 26 April 2019, prayed for lasting peace on campus.

He said: “The university has come very far in terms of delivering on its mandate and had gained much recognition locally and internationally. The event of 14 March 2019 was just unfortunate and it’s my fervent prayer and my wish that never again should such an event occur in the history of this great university.

“Indeed, this is not the time to apportion blames, what is most important is that by the grace of the Almighty God, calm has been restored on campus and academic work has resumed smoothly.

“I like to urge all staff, students and stakeholders to let us all come together as one united body to safeguard the peace we are enjoying and to work together towards the development of our young but very progressive university”.