Rev. Fr. Prof. Anthony Afful-Broni (left), Prof. Mawutor Avorke
A senior member of staff of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), has sued the university and the Vice-Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Prof. Anthony Afful-Broni, seeking to revoke his induction as Vice-Chancellor (VC).
The applicant, Kingsley Amoakwah, who is a Principal Auditing Associate, is seeking a restraining order on Prof. Afful-Broni to discontinue performing his role as VC and a further order on the university to reinstate Prof. Mawutor Avorke who was asked to step aside.
A Winneba High Court in July 2017 granted an interlocutory application to restrain then Vice-Chancellor of University of Education Winneba, Prof. Mawutor Avokeh, and finance officer of the university from holding office until a case brought against them was determined.
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University, Very Rev. Fr. Prof. Anthony Afful-Broni, was to act in place of the two affected officers.
However, Rev. Fr. Prof. Anthony Afful-Broni was later inducted as the substantive Vice-Chancellor of the UEW.
Suit
But a senior staff of the university who is also the chairman of the Senior Staff Associations Union has taken the university and the VC to court, urging the court to order the university to reinstate Prof. Avorke whom he said had been cleared by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) of any wrongdoing.
According to him, the continuous stay of Rev. Fr. Prof Afful-Broni in office as the VC after his predecessor had been cleared of any wrongdoing is an affront to the rules of natural justice.
The plaintiff in his writ is seeking an order restraining Prof. Afful-Broni from continuously interfering in the administration of Prof Avorke whom he insists is the VC.
He is also seeking a declaration that any attempt by the Governing Council of the UEW to ignore the findings of EOCO is unjust, illegal, and null and void.
Again, he is seeking a declaration that the EOCO report which exonerates Prof. Avorke overrides and supersedes all proceedings and findings of the fact-finding committee set up by the Governing Council of the university.
“A declaration that the setting up of a fact-finding committee to investigate Prof. Mawutor Avorke on matters that were already before EOCO amounted to an abuse of office, wrongful exercise of discretion, an act of bias and double jeopardy,” the plaintiff averred.
The plaintiff is also seeking a declaration that the Governing Council of the university exceeded its jurisdiction when it set up a fact-finding committee to investigate a criminal allegation against Prof. Avorke when there was no complaint on record.
Furthermore, the plaintiff wants a declaration that Prof. Afful-Broni cannot claim to be the legitimate “holder of the position of Vice-Chancellor since the said appointment was irregular and made without jurisdiction.”
Finally, Mr. Amoakwah is seeking an order against the Winneba District Police Commander to provide adequate protection for Prof. Avorke to perform his duties as VC without any fear of attack from anyone.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak