Prof. Oduro, Legon VC
The committee set up by the University of Ghana to investigate the sex for grade scandal that hit the University has submitted its report to the Vice Chancellor (VC) of the University, Prof. Ebenezer Oduro Owusu.
The committee submitted the report on 12th November 2019. This was revealed by the VC yesterday, 14th November, during the 2019 Congregation Ceremony of the College of Humanities of the University.
The report according to Prof. Oduro will be studied and its recommendation implemented. “Management will study the report and ensure implementation of the recommendations using the appropriate adjudicatory process stipulated under the Basic law and policies of the University,” said the VC.
Sex for Grade
Following the sex for grade scandal that hit the university recently, management of the University set up a five-member fact-finding committee chaired by a Supreme Court judge, Justice Vida Akoto-Bamfo to conduct an inquiry into the matter.
Two lecturers from the University, Prof. Ransford Gyampo, Head of the Centre for European Studies, and Dr. Paul Kwame Butakor were captured in a documentary put together by the BBC Africa Eye. The 53 minutes documentary which had about 10 minutes focused on Prof. Gyampo according to the BBC was supposed to have revealed “Sex for Grades” in some West African Universities. However, the job by the BBC has been described by many including the revered Ghanaian professor of Communication, Prof. Kwasi Ansu-Kyeremeh, as a ‘journalistic investigation gone rogue.’
The University has since interdicted both lecturers pending investigation into the issue.
No evidence
Even before the investigation committee was set up, Dr Margaret Amoakohene, the Chairperson of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Committee of the University of Ghana, is on record to have stated that there was no evidence of sex for grade in the work done by the BBC.
Meanwhile, the University has created an anonymous e-mail address and a WhatsApp platform to facilitate and create easy avenues through which all such sexual harassment cases may be reported. “We particularly encourage people who may have fallen victim to such unfortunate incidents to take advantage to report them for redress,” Prof. Oduro said.
On her part, Mrs Mary Chinery-Hesse, the Chancellor of the University stated that though global statistics lend credence that practices of sexual harassment abound in every university in the world, the University of Ghana will continue to protect its image and make the campus free from such act. She advised students to take advantage of structures put in place by the university to report all issues of sexual harassment.
Source: http://eveningmailgh.com
