University of Education, Winneba (UEW), has had its fair share of squabbles and conflicts over the past few years with the institution experiencing a breath of fresh air a little over a year ago.
It does appear that some elements within the university community, notably, those affiliated to the retired Vice Chancellor, Rev. Father Anthony Afful Broni, are trying to bring forth an upheaval over reasons so petty and niggling that one wonders why these people would walk this path.
Instead of beating swords into ploughshares, Prof. George Kankam, a self-appointed leader of some disgruntled loyalists of Afful Broni, is bent on making sure that peace becomes a scarce commodity in UEW.
This retired but on-contract lecturer is the one instigating his peers to foment trouble in the university. For someone who once chaired the UDS Council to seek to attack the Council Chairman of UEW is strange. Sane minds cannot wrap their minds around his unreasoned justifications for these attacks.
Prof. Kankam doesn’t understand that one of the elements of Afful Broni is not being instituted as the next Vice Chancellor of UEW with Prof. Avoke completing his tenure in September this year.
Kankam is against a native of Effutu who is more than qualified and has satisfied all the necessary qualifications to become the Vice Chancellor of UEW. This is amazing! A contract staff of UEW leading such a useless crusade?
The most annoying part of his effusive rantings has to do with his antagonistic attitude towards the institution of Neenyi Ghartey as the Chancellor of the University.
Neenyi Ghartey, the Paramount Chief of the Effutu traditional area, has been sworn in as the Chancellor of the university and George Kankam is up in arms about this?
It is not as though the Chief does not qualify for the position. He went through the same processes required for someone to be elevated to become a Chancellor. Why is Kankam crying wolf?
There are precedents in the country where qualified traditional leaders have been made Chancellors of institutions in their communities.
Prof. Kankam is on a contract and can well abandon the contractual obligations if he finds these happenings irritating!
In his interview, he emphasized that 150 lecturers are with him on this. I can categorically state that it is an untruth as a good number of them have denied being part of his grand scheme to thwart the development of UEW! UEW needs people who love peace and not those who want war.
P.K.Sarpong, Whispers from the Corridors of the Thinking Place.