The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has blocked all government-related support and services to the University of Cape Coast (UCC), designating the institution as “non-existent” on its official portal.
In a statement issued on Monday, GTEC announced the immediate suspension of all major engagements with UCC, citing the university’s failure to comply with directives regarding the tenure of its Vice-Chancellor, Professor Johnson Nyarko Boampong.
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The decision, taken on September 22, stems from UCC’s disregard of a High Court injunction issued on October 8, 2024, restraining the Governing Council from taking any action on Prof. Boampong’s appointment. Despite the injunction and having reached the mandatory retirement age of 60, Prof. Boampong has reportedly remained in office.
As a result, GTEC says it will no longer process UCC’s requests for programme accreditation, government salary subventions, GETFund disbursements, research and book allowances, post-retirement contracts, financial clearance for recruitment, and other related administrative matters.
The directive, signed by Prof. Augustine Ocloo, Acting Deputy Director-General of GTEC, will remain in force until UCC proves full compliance with the Commission’s orders.
GTEC had earlier instructed Prof. Boampong to step down, arguing that the Vice-Chancellor role is a public office under Section 7(1) of the University of Cape Coast Act, 1992 (PNDCL 278) and is therefore subject to Article 199(1) of the 1992 Constitution, which mandates retirement at age 60. The Commission also referred to the UCC Statutes (2016), which allow a Vice-Chancellor to serve a four-year term, renewable for another three years only if the individual has not exceeded the retirement age.
Pending the resolution of the legal dispute before the Cape Coast High Court, GTEC has appointed Professor Denis Worlanyo Aheto, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, as Acting Vice-Chancellor of UCC.
