A lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the Head of the Department of Architecture, Prof. Rexford Assasie Oppong, has filed a lawsuit against the university’s vice-chancellor and senior management, citing discriminatory practices against him.
The lawsuit seeks various legal remedies, including an injunction to prevent the enforcement of a recent directive issued by the vice-chancellor regarding his removal from office.
According to a court document reviewed by Asaase Radio, Prof. Oppong states that he received a letter from the KNUST registrar on 23 March 2023, notifying him of a petition filed by several senior members of his department.
The petition accused him of several offenses, such as harassing and intimidating staff, making independent decisions without consulting the department board, violating the School of Graduate Studies’ regulations on postgraduate studies, and interfering with mid-semester exams conducted on 1 March 2023.
Prof. Oppong claims that the allegations against him are unfounded and that the investigation process was flawed. He argues that the fact-finding committee, led by Professor I K Badu and established by the vice-chancellor, was improperly formed, as university statutes require a disciplinary committee for such cases. Prof. Oppong maintains that this process violated his right to a fair hearing, as he wasn’t allowed to cross-examine the petitioners. Despite presenting evidence to dispute the claims, the committee continued its investigation and submitted a report to the vice-chancellor.
Court documents reveal that on 14 August 2024, Prof. Oppong received a letter from the registrar conveying the vice-chancellor’s directive based on the committee’s report. Prof. Oppong has refused to comply, arguing that the committee’s findings were biased and lacked credibility. He claims the report was flawed, did not meet professional standards, and that the committee’s process was procedurally improper.
In his lawsuit filed on 19 September 2024, Prof. Oppong requests that the court nullify the actions of the fact-finding committee and halt the enforcement of the vice-chancellor’s directive. He also seeks an injunction to prevent anyone from holding a public office without legal entitlement. Prof. Oppong claims that the university’s actions have damaged his professional reputation and that the procedural violations have caused him unjust harm.
KNUST has not yet made any public statements regarding the lawsuit. The court is scheduled to hear the case on 14 October 2024.
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Story by: Gabriel Tecco Mensah | univers.ug.edu.gh
