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Former President Mahama urges govt to withdraw Public Universities Bill …But govt disagrees
Former President John Dramani Mahama has called on the government to withdraw the Public University Bill from parliament because it will colonise the tertiary institutions and stifle their academic freedom.
“Should government proceed and pass the Bill into an Act of Parliament, I will not hesitate to initiate steps for its immediate repeal, as a matter of priority, if God willing I assume office as President in January 2021,” he said.
In a statement issued in Accra yesterday, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) said: “In its current form, it is unclear what problems or challenges in higher education the bill seeks to resolve.
“What is certain howeverthat, the bill is seeking to colonise public universities in the country, undermine academic freedom, stifle scholarly initiative, and subject research and researchers to needless and unproductive government control.”
The bill, seeks to harmonise the finances, administration and governance structure of public universities with reasons for its drafting including that universities continue to veer off their core mandate and are misappropriating their resources.
The Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, University Teachers, some former vice-chancellors, individual academics in the universities among many other stakeholders, have kicked against it.
“The bill as it stands does not only risk undermining academic innovation and ingenuity; it will also jettison decades of scholarly excellence and adversely affect Ghana’s position as the preferred destination for international scholarly collaboration,” he said and asked the government to listen to the stakeholders.
In his view, instead of the bill, the universities need partnership that fosters academic freedom, enhances their efficiency and also invests in research and development.
He cited the COVID-19 rapid test kit innovation from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and their partner INCAS Diagnostics Company as one of such outcome that was begging for support.
“Our academics and students need support to focus on their core mandates of creating and sharing knowledge, not a Public Universities Bill that seeks to control and undermine the independence of our intellectuals and other researchers in state-owned universities,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education says the Public University Bill will not stifle academic freedom and undermine research and innovation when passed into law, as asserted by former President Mahama.
A rebuttal from the ministry issued by Rodney Nkrumah-Boateng, the press secretary to the sector minister, Dr Matthew Opoku-Prempeh said the bill had received the needed stakeholder inputs to make it robust.
“The ministry would like to put on record that it has extensively engaged shareholders on this matter, having invited, and received, memorandum from the various public universities and other stakeholders.”
“The ministry assures the general public that it is committed to the engagement process with the relevant stakeholders and is confident that eventually, the bill will receive the necessary approvals to enable it pass into law and help reform the tertiary landscape to the ultimate benefit of the nation,” it said.
According to the statement, the comments by former President Mahama “smacks of desperation” and that Ghanaians were expecting clear innovative policy alterative and not promises of reviews and abolitions of existing ones.
“Ex-President Mahama is entitled to speak on any matter but must first be educated and informed. It is wholly unacceptable for a person of his statute to pander to partisan politicking on such an important issue without ascertaining the facts simply because it is an election year,” it said.
Questioning if the Technical University Act passed by the Mahama-led administration, stifled academic freedom, the ministry said this government had done more to promote research.
It said this government had, in addition to the restoration of the Book and Research Allowance abolished by the NDC government, approved 200 per cent increase in research allowance from GH₵500 introduced by former President Kufour to GH₵1,500.
It said it had also laid before parliament, the Ghana Research Fund Bill to establish a fund to provide for funds and to support national research in tertiary and research institutions.
Source: Ghanaian Times
Minority Leader in parliament, Alexander Osahen Afenyo Markin has raised concerns about the direction of the country one year after the 2024 general election, warning that Ghana’s democracy may be under threat if current governance trends are not checked.
In a statement reflecting on the year since Ghanaians voted for change, he noted that while the New Patriotic Party hoped for victory, the people chose differently and the outcome was respected as the will of the electorate.
He stressed that winning power comes with responsibility and not the freedom to govern without caution.
The Minority Leader argued that the removal of key public officials reflected a worrying pattern.
These included the dismissal of workers from state institutions, the exit of the Chief Justice, and ongoing processes affecting the Electoral Commission leadership and the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
He described the development as retribution rather than renewal and questioned the government’s promises on jobs and the 24 hour economy.
Addressing President John Dramani Mahama directly, he urged him to use his rare second return to office to build a legacy of development rather than removals.
He explained that global history shows that leaders who return to power after defeat are few, stressing that such an opportunity should lead to transformation that benefits citizens.
He encouraged the President to invest in technology, artificial intelligence and modern economic growth models to position Ghana for global competition.
He warned that no country will wait for Ghana while others advance through digital innovation.
The statement further pointed to youth unemployment and frustration, noting that campaign foot soldiers who worked hard during elections have been left disappointed.
He warned that ignoring young people could lead to instability.
He urged the media to uphold its watchdog duty by speaking up against constitutional breaches rather than seeking comfort in silence.
He explained that the Minority wants the government to succeed because national progress benefits everyone, not only one political side.
The Minority Leader maintained that although democracy is not perfect, it remains the best system since it allows peaceful correction through elections.
He encouraged citizens to trust the ballot and not violence.
He encouraged President Mahama to resist party hawks and focus on national development, stating that the world is watching how Ghana uses this moment in history.
He called on leaders across the political divide to remember they are custodians of the Republic and must work to protect the nation’s democratic future.
He concluded by urging young people not to lose hope, stressing that change comes through democratic processes, and reminding all leaders that Ghana’s stability depends on responsible governance, unity and development oriented action.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central Kwame Asare Obeng, widely known as A Plus, is calling on young people to take hypertension seriously by checking their blood pressure regularly and taking prescribed medication to prevent sudden deaths and stroke.
In a message shared to the public, the MP noted that cases of young people dying from high blood pressure are rising, even though the condition is preventable.
He mentioned that many refuse to go for checkups, and those who later discover they have hypertension still stop or avoid taking their medication.
He expressed worry that some men refuse treatment because they believe blood pressure drugs affect their sexual performance, a belief he described as misleading.
A Plus stressed that staying alive and healthy should be the priority, adding that complications from uncontrolled hypertension could lead to stroke and long term disability.
He encouraged the youth, especially men, to get their blood pressure tested and take treatment seriously to protect their health and future.
A Plus urged the public to spread the message so more people will take action on their health.
By: Jacob Aggrey
