Speaker doesn’t need divided UEW leadership award – IMANI boss

Founding President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has noted that the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, does not need an award from the management of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) which he claims has a divided leadership.

Mr Cudjoe noted that the management of the university has been embroiled in controversies, a situation he believes will mar the beauty of the award.

He said, “Such important academic honour to be bestowed on our academically renowned political scientist, reverend minister and above all the Speaker of our Parliament must not be mired in needless controversy.”

The Management of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), officially affirmed its decision to honour the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Prof. Aaron Michael Oquaye with an offer of an award of Honorary Doctorate Degree. This took place at a visit to the Parliament House, Accra on Friday, September 4, 2020.

Explaining the purpose of the visit, the Vice-Chancellor and leader of the UEW delegation, Rev. Fr. Prof. Anthony Afful-Broni, on behalf of the University Council and Management, said the visit was intended to officially inform the speaker that he is to be awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree from UEW for his exemplary accomplishments and service to Ghana in many distinguished capacities.

Rev. Fr. Prof. Afful-Broni also noted that the Governing Council and the Academic Board of UEW have assented to the Honorary Doctorate Degree because the Speaker of Parliament merits the award. The Vice-Chancellor saluted the ever-growing stronger friendship that has developed between the speaker and the UEW in the past few years. He also highlighted some of the infrastructural projects that are on-going in the university to advance education in the country and underlined UEW’s role as the leading teacher-education institution in the sub-region.

In his contributory remarks, the Registrar, Paul Osei-Barima, expressed gratitude to the speaker for the warm reception and for accepting the offer of the Honorary Doctorate Degree from the University. He briefed the Speaker on preparations towards the Special Graduation Ceremony scheduled for September 30, 2020 to honour the Speaker, among other distinguished personalities. The Registrar also indicated that more details of the Special Graduation will be communicated to the Speaker in due course.

But in a short statement, Mr Cudjoe said “The most venerable Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Oquaye needs no further accolades. If he must, need an indeed accept any new ones, they must add immense value above his impeccable credentials- Further, any such grace to be bestowed on Rt. Honourable Oquaye must not come from controversial quarters where perennial leadership struggle has been so bitter and likely to impugn professional academic integrity.

“Which is why I was worried gravely, when I saw social media ads suggesting that the embattled sectarian leadership University of Education, Winneba (UEW) was about conferring an honourary award on Speaker Mike Oquaye.

“I am most certain that such a decision is at best promoted by one half of the leadership while the other part could only look on forlornly. Such important academic honour to be bestowed on our academically renowned political scientist, reverend minister and above all the Speaker of our Parliament must not be mired in needless controversy.

“In these days of littered awards, one for our Speaker must be above idle chatter. But does my friend, Rt. Honourable Speaker need another award? Mike Gabo Oquaye (Son of the Speaker) does he?”