GTEC freezes all UCC requests over Vice-Chancellor retirement dispute

The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has halted the processing of key applications from the University of Cape Coast (UCC) until the institution resolves its leadership impasse.

In a letter dated September 22, 2025, addressed to the UCC Registrar, the Commission explained that it would not consider any request from the university until there is compliance with its directive regarding the tenure of Vice-Chancellor, Professor Johnson Nyarko Boampong.

The suspension covers matters relating to accreditation, government subventions, GETFund support, book and research allowance, post-retirement contracts, recruitment clearance, and other statutory entitlements.

According to the directive, the measure takes immediate effect and will remain until UCC demonstrates adherence.

The letter, signed by GTEC’s Acting Deputy Director-General, Professor Augustine Ocloo, reminded the university that its Governing Council has been under a High Court injunction since October 8, 2024, preventing it from making decisions on Prof. Boampong’s appointment.

GTEC noted that despite the injunction, Prof. Boampong continues in office, although he has exceeded the compulsory retirement age set for public officers under Article 199 of the Constitution.

This comes after the Vice-Chancellor openly rejected a directive from GTEC instructing him to vacate his post.

In a response dated September 19, 2025, his lawyers wrote that he “would ignore the said letter and continue to act in office as directed by the University Statutes and in accordance with the orders of the court.”

The Commission had earlier insisted that the Vice-Chancellor’s role, created under the University of Cape Coast Act, 1992 (PNDCL 278), qualifies as a public office, making retirement at 60 mandatory.

It further argued that the Statutes of UCC allow a Vice-Chancellor a renewable term only if it does not extend beyond the statutory age limit.

With Prof. Boampong refusing to step aside, GTEC had directed Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Denis Worlanyo Aheto to assume interim leadership, a directive that remains contested, deepening the governance standoff at UCC.