UPSA Investiture Controversy : We have not been formally served with a writ - Registrar

Dec 29, 2024 - 20:34

Accra, Ghana - December 29, 2024 - Ghana's University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) has found itself at the center of a controversy surrounding the investiture of its new Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor.

Despite allegations of a writ against the university, UPSA's Registrar, Lorraine B. Gyan, has clarified in a letter dated December 27, that the institution was never formally served with any legal documents or correspondence related to the case.

The university proceeded with the investiture ceremony, which included an Oath of Office, administered by the Deputy Minister of Education, as mandated by the UPSA Act, Act 850. The event took place on December 27, 2024, with Professor Mawutor being sworn in as the new Vice-Chancellor.

According to Gyan, UPSA's lawyers advised that media reports of a writ were insufficient to halt the ceremony, as there was no formal court order. The university has reaffirmed its commitment to adhering to legal and procedural standards, despite the controversy.

“As Registrar, I must clarify and state unequivocally that the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) has not been formally served with any writ, legal document, or correspondence.

“Consequently, I have not received any application for an interlocutory injunction against the University,'' she noted in a statement.

It's worth noting that an alumnus of UPSA, Rashid Ibrahim, had reportedly filed an injunction seeking to halt the investiture ceremony, citing allegations surrounding Professor Mawutor's academic promotion..

However, the university's position remains that it was not formally served with any legal documents, and therefore proceeded with the ceremony as planned.

Find the statement below.