GTEC Suspends UCC Operations Over Vice-Chancellor Tenure Dispute

Accra ,Ghana - The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has suspended all major dealings with the University of Cape Coast (UCC), effectively blocking government funding, accreditation, and administrative services. This drastic measure comes after UCC's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Johnson Nyarko Boampong, refused to comply with GTEC's directive to step down upon reaching the compulsory retirement age of 60.

The controversy surrounding Professor Boampong's tenure has been ongoing, with GTEC citing Article 199(1) of Ghana's 1992 Constitution, which mandates public officers to retire at 60. Despite this, Professor Boampong has chosen to remain in office, backed by a High Court injunction that restrains the university's Governing Council from taking any action regarding his appointment.

In a letter dated September 19, 2025, GTEC directed Professor Boampong to vacate his post, emphasizing that the Vice-Chancellor's role is a public office subject to the constitutional retirement age. However, Professor Boampong's lawyers responded on the same day, stating that their client would ignore the directive and continue in office, citing university statutes and court orders.

The suspension has severe implications for UCC's operations, including blocked accreditation processes, government funding, research and book allowances, post-retirement contracts, and financial clearance for recruitment. The dispute between GTEC and UCC remains unresolved, with Professor Boampong's lawyers demanding that GTEC withdraw its directive. The situation may require judicial intervention to clarify competing interpretations of statutory requirements and institutional autonomy.

Source -Lead News Online/Emmanuel Kofi Ahadzi