The youth groups addressing the media
The youth in the Bono Region have expressed their displeasure over what they call the sidelining of qualified female candidates to fill the principal position of the Berekum College of Education.
The youth groups; Sunyani Youth Development Association (SYDA), Sunyani Development Association and Bonoman Institute in a statement accused the College’s Council of being biased against women in the appointment of the college’s principal.
Addressing journalists, at a press conference yesterday in Sunyani, President of SYDA, Atta Akoto tasked CHRAJ in the spirit of fairness and social justice to investigate and review the decision and go by the criteria set up for the search committee to appoint the best-qualified person for the position.
According to him, the college principal’s position became vacant in December 2022 and so an advert was placed to receive applications.
To this effect, a search committee was constituted to receive applications, conduct interviews and recommend qualified persons for the position. Two persons, Vida Korang, a senior lecturer from the Catholic University College of Ghana, and Sylvester Donkor from Foso Training College were shortlisted for the interview.
Mr. Akoto said a statement from the council chairman, Kwadwo Adhei Darko, a former local government minister in the Kufour administration explained that Dr. Vida Korang after the interview emerged as the best candidate for the position with a score of 71 ahead of Mr. Sylvester Donkor who also got 70.
However, the council decided to appoint Sylvester Donkor because he is already from a government institution and regularising his salary with the Controller and Accountant General will not be a problem unlike Dr. Vida Korang who is from a private institution and getting financial clearance for her will be difficult.
Youth say this was discriminatory, unfair, unjust, and an abuse of power. “It is inconsistent with basic tenets of law and contravenes provisions of the 1992 constitution and goal five of the SDGs which promotes equal rights among all citizens.”
The youth further maintained that the council chair’s explanation that the one mark difference between Dr. Vida Korang and her contender makes no difference is untenable and biased against women.
FROM Daniel Y Dayee, Sunyani