ee UNIVERSITY TEACHERS ASSOCIATION OF GHANA P.O. Box LG 232, UPO - Legon, Accra - Ghana UT. +233 (020 857 cosa UNIVERSITY OF GHANA © universityogghanautag@gmail.com To All Media Houses February 21, 2020 ON THE SUSPENSION OF PROF. RANSFORD GYAMPO AND DR. PAUL BUTAKOR UG-UTAG has received the news of the suspension of Prof. Ransford Gyampo and Dr. Paul Butakor with mixed feelings. It would be recalled that sometime in October 2019, the British Broadcasting Cooperation (BBC) aired a documentary titled “*Sex for Grades! - Undercover in West African Universities”, in which our two colleagues were implicated. ‘The Management ofthe University of Ghana swiflly followed this up with the interdiction of the ‘ald to colleagues to make way for investigations into the matter. A Facts Finding Committee, chaired by Her Ladyship Justice Vida Akoto Bamfo, was constituted io conduct the investigations ‘The Committee in its report submiited on November 12, 2019, indicated that it could not establish ANYTHING SEX FOR GRADES against our colleagues. However, the Committee was of the view that our colleagues had misconducted themselves and had brought the name and image of the University and themselves: into disrepute. As a result, the Facts Finding Committee recommended that our colleagues should appear before the Disciplinary Committee of the University on charges of misconduct and NOT SEX FOR GRADES, The hearings of the Disciplinary Committee and its recommendations have culminated in the Spension of Prof. Ransford Gyampo and Dr. Paul Butakor for six and four inonths respectively, without pay. UG-UTAG has followed with keen interes, the Processes that have led to the Suspension of our two colleagues and wish to state as follows:That the Facts Finding Committee constituted by the University to investigate the matter in its report could NOT ESTABLISH ANY CASE OF SEX FOR GRADES against our colleagues. ‘That the University in its public and official communications on this matter has been deficient in communicating the actual finding of the Facts Finding Committee as contained in point one above. Thi in our view has not done the University sufficient good in terms of clearing the name and image of our members and the University of the allegations of “Sex for Grades” by the BBC. ‘That UTAG was of a considered opinion that the period of their interdiction and the financial implications of the interdiction constituted sufficient punishment, and expected the recommendations of the Disciplinary Committee to have taken cognizance of that. In @ communication to University Management, UTAG suggested a suspension with retrospective effect from the time of their interdietion, requiring them to refund financial remunerations received during the period of their interdiction (since the suspension i without pay), to lessen the sum of the economic and emotional impact that this has had on them. That UTAG has taken cognizance of Prof. Gyampo and Dr, Butakor’s decision not to pursue the matter any further, but serve the sanctions imposed on them, and wish to commend them for such a decision even in the hard times they find themselves. However, UTAG as a Professional Association considers the suspensions as relatively harsh, considering that the core allegations of ‘Sex for Grades’ could not be established against them, That UTAG finds it unusual that persons who were not found complicit in any way of a case of sexual misconduct by the Facts Finding Committee be subjected to training on sexual harassment, and annual assessments up to five years.6. That while UTAG does not and would not condone the contravention of the Statutes of the University, the Code of Conduct for our members, Sexual Harassment and Misconduct Policy and other policies of the University, we would like to caution against the undue external interferences in the discharge of our mandates to the University. We call on the management to fiercely resist attempts to dilute the Academic freedom and autonomy of our institution. 7. That in moving forward, the University should find a fair balance between its desire to protect its name and image on the one hand, and the welfare/wellbeing of members of the University community who make up the University on the other hand. UTAG would work closely with management of the University, especially in areas of continuous training and sensitization of the University community on the codes and policies that govern our relationships and conduct as members of the University community Long Live UG-UTAG! Long Live University of Ghana! Long Live Ghana!!! Dr. Samuel N. Nkumbaan UG-UTAG President 0244861102