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UCC: Residents threaten to embark on mega demo if Akufo-Addo fails to sack Vice-Chancellor


Information reaching Thinknewsonline.com indicates that some residents living in communities close to the University of Cape Coast (UCC) have threatened to embark on a mega demonstration if President Akufo-Addo fails to remove the Vice-Chancellor.


According to the residents, the mega demonstration will be held on August 4.


It comes following the VC, Council Chairman, other members of the council including the VC's alleged NPP political appointees' mad rush of school lands in the community.


The residents say an extention for the VC will help him continue his corrupt lifestyle and disrespect for chiefs as well as other members of the community who work in the University.


These communities have also held series of discussions with the Vice-Chancellor and has not yielded which has led to past demonstrations and the upcoming mega demonstration.


Thinknewsonline.com has gathered that Chair and other members of the council of University of Cape Coast (UCC) are using what has been described as inappropriate means to extend the tenure of Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong.


According to sources, the compromised Council Chair is perniciously working to extend the tenure of the VC for more than a year before his expiration of term of office.


The extension of term of office of the VCwhen approved will have a propensity to destabilize the already fragile and polarized University environment.


It is emerging that the UCC which has enjoyed some stability and calmness is at a tipping point.


Over the last three (3) years of Prof. Boampong's Vice-Chancellorship, the University has experienced levels of nepotism, divide and rule, vindictiveness, poor human relationships, poor communication, misuse of resources and wasteful expenditure.


The residents and majority of members of staff who spoke on anonymity are also calling on President Akufo-Addo to remove the VC and Council Chair.


It is also emerging that VC with assistance from the Council Chair has imposed some fear in all heads of departments and sectional heads likewise persons with positions in the University.

Sources have also revealed that the VC has percentage in budgets allocated departments in the Institution.


It is alleged that the percentages given to the VC are used in funding political activities of the Akufo-Addo led administration which is geared at helping the NPP break the 8.


Monies said to be used to paid as allowances to staffs of the University are diverted and invested in some unapproved selfish investment dealing which goes to the VC when it yields dividends.


All these, sources reveal are to the detriment of staffs who for fear of being victimised are quiet and have remained mute likewise uncommunicative about the development.


Sources say government's immediate intervention is needed to bring sanity among students and staffs of the University as well as residents living close to the school.


In a latest development, the 2019 and 2020 Retirees Association of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) in the Central Region have also threatened to stage a demonstration against the UCC Vice-Chancellor, and management of the university over undue deduction from their end of their service benefits.


The retirees in a resolution issued on 29th July 2019 said when they were about exiting UCC from active service, the pro-vice chancellor announced to a gathering of the retirees that there’s a proposal from the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to deduct tax from their end of service benefit.


This proposal did not go well with the retirees but the pro-vice chancellor and the unions agreed to sit with GRA to see to the waiving of the tax.


However, the retirees went home without their end of service benefit.


In order to resolve this, a decision was taken at meeting of all Vice-Chancellors that 10% should be deducted from the benefits and 90% paid to the retirees.


However, the management of the University have issued a letter indicating that 17%, 25%  and 35% would be deducted from the benefits of junior staff, senior staff and the senior members respectively.


In a press briefing in Cape Coast, group secretary, Peter Aubyn said "We want management of UCC to reverse any form of deduction taken from their end of service benefit in the form of taxes to reduce the financial burden on some retirees"


“We the 2019 and 2020 retirees demand strongly that our monies deducted as tax should be paid back to us without delay, and therefore we give University of Cape Coast management two weeks to respond to our demands urgently, failure of which may push us to stage demonstration against the Vice Chancellor,”


“We do not understand why after serving our nation actively for various number of years as active and consistent payers, we should pay another tax at the end of our service when we are terminally leaving active service…we are in pain appealing to the Ministry of Education and President of the nation to call the management of cape coast university to order,”


Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith

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