The reinstated Vice-Chancellor of the University of Winneba (UEW), Professor Mawutor Avoke has promised to provide “the committed and visionary” leadership needed to help the school achieve its stated objectives.
Mr. Avoke says he is also committed to reconciling with the persons who caused his removal.
After years of a legal tussle, the Winneba High Court presided over by his lordship, Aboagye Tandoh, on Wednesday, February 2, 2022, ordered that Prof. Mawutor Avoke be reinstated as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba.
The court ruled that all others who lost their positions in the school or were affected by the long legal tussle should be reinstated, and their salary arrears paid to them with retrospective effect from the day they were unlawfully removed.
“I pledge that upon my return to office in the coming days, I will provide the committed and visionary leadership needed to help the UEW to either achieve or move it closer to achieving its stated purpose.”
“I intend to work every day with all the genuineness of heart, skill, and diligence at my disposal to ensure that complete and total reconciliation is done between me and all the persons who may seem to have been vanquished by today’s judicial determination,” Prof. Avoke said in a statement.
Prof. Avoke’s troubles started in 2017 after a Winneba High Court ordered him to step aside until a case brought against him and the University’s Governing Council was determined.
The case was brought before the court by one Supi Kofi Kwayera, who insisted that the Vice-Chancellor and the then Finance Officer, were operating under the institution’s defunct governing council.
Prof. Avoke emphasised the need for persons involved in the controversy to “put the bitter past behind and work together honestly and diligently in the continuous journey to build the UEW into a respectable African institution of higher learning”.
Below is the full statement from Prof. Avoke
For Immediate Release
WINNEBA, 2nd February 2022
Today, the 2nd day of February 2022, the High Court, Winneba, delivered a well reasoned and sound judgment, giving effect to the principle of the rule of law as contained in the preamble of the Constitution of Ghana, 1992. The decision came after an application by one Samuel Kweku Ghartey, which application prayed the High Court to, amongst other things, issue:
- An order of Prohibition restraining the Defendant University from appointing anyone into the office of Vice – Chancellorship as same is not vacant but meant for resumption of office by Professor Mawutor Avoke, the incumbent Vice -Chancellor.
- An order Prohibiting the Respondent University from restraining its officers namely Mawutor Avoke, Vice Chancellor , Dr. Theophilus Senyo Ackorlie, Finance Officer, Mr. Frank Owusu Boateng, Deputy Finance Officer, Ms. Sena Dake, Internal Auditor, Mary Dzimey, Acting Head of Procurement and lng. Daniel Tetteh, Ag. Deputy Director of Works and Physical Development from resumption of office
- A declaratory order that the Respondent University acted in actual bias or strong likelihood of bias in causing the stepping aside from office of Professor Mawutor Avoke and the above named five officers without any prima facie case against them .
- An order of mandamus compelling the Governing Council of the Respondent institution to implement the findings in the report of the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) that investigated six(6) officials of the Respondent institution and the recommendations made by a three (3) member committee set up by the Governing Council of the Respondent university, to reinstate the six(6) officers namely Prof . Mawutor Avoke, Vice Chancellor, Theophilus Senyo Ackorlie , former finance Officer, Mr. Frank Owusu Boateng, Deputy Finance Officer, Ms. Sena Dake. Internal Auditor. Ms Mary Dzimey, Acting Head of Procurement and lng. Daniel Tetteh Ag. Deputy Director of Works and Physical Development who were exonerated by the reports of the two (2) bodies referred to above.
- An order compelling the Governing Council of the Respondent institution to allow the six (6) officers namely: Mawutor Avoke, Vice Chancellor, Dr. Theophilus Senyo Ackorlie, Finance Officer, Mr. Frank Owusu Boateng, Deputy Finance Officer, Ms. Sena Dake, Internal Auditor, Mary Dzimey , Acting Head of Procurement and Ing. Daniel Tetteh, Ag. Deputy Director of Works and Physical Development of the Respondent institution, who were exonerated by Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) and the three (3) member committee set up by the Governing Council of the Respondent institution, to allow and permit the six (6) officers to work in their respective positions without inhibition.
- An order of perpetual injunction restraining the Respondent institution acting through the Governing Council from obstructing the six(6) officers, namely Prof. Mawutor Avoke, Vice Chancellor, Theophilus Senyo Ackorlie, Finance Officer, Mr. Frank Owusu Boateng; Deputy Finance Officer, Ms. Sena Dake, Internal Auditor, Mary Dzimey, Acting Head of Procurement and Ing. Daniel Tetteh, Ag. Deputy Director of Works and Physical Development access to their respective offices.
- An order restraining the Respondent institution from proceeding to appoint a New Vice Chancellor until the final determination of this
In summary, the court, at a sitting today, ordered the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), where I once served as Vice-Chancellor, to restore me to the office to serve the remainder of my interrupted term as Vice-Chancellor. Consequently, I genuinely expect that in the coming days, I will return to the office and perform all the duties that come with the office of Vice Chancellor for the next two years.
Indeed, while I consider this judicial determination a total and final vindication of my position regarding the divisive issues that founded my removal from office, I am clear and certain in my mind that I will not boast over the outcome, no matter how reliving and joyous the judgment may seem. Instead, and with the help of the almighty God, I intend to work every day with all the genuineness of heart, skill, and diligence at my disposal to ensure that complete and total reconciliation is done between me and all the persons who may seem to have been vanquished by today’s judicial determination.
In making this humble declaration, I draw firm and complete inspiration from Nelson Mandela, an African icon who once said, “Reconciliation does not mean forgetting or trying to bury the pain of conflict, but that reconciliation means working together to correct the legacy of past injustice.”
Further, as a distinguished peacemaker, the late Mandela also once said: “Forgiveness liberates the soul, it removes fear. That’s why it’s such a powerful weapon”.
In my view, the above quotes should remind us all of the need to put the bitter past behind us and work together honestly and diligently in the continuous journey to build the UEW into a respectable African institution of higher learning with an unyielding knack for global excellence, groundbreaking research pedigree and reach. It is in doing this and more that the UEW will be deemed to have achieved its true and stated purpose.
To conclude, I believe that as a University, the great UEW has the resources-both financial and human – and the goodwill needed to establish itself as a truly impactful and influential institution of global significance through the diligent efforts of management, staff, students, and all stakeholders. I pledge that upon my return to office in the coming days, I will provide the committed and visionary leadership needed to help the UEW to either achieve or move it closer to achieving its stated purpose.
May God Bless Our Homeland, Ghana.
Signed
Prof Mawutor Avoke