UCC VC’s lawyers demand withdrawal of GTEC’s directive; threaten legal action
UCC VC’s lawyers demand withdrawal of GTEC’s directive; threaten legal action.
Lawyers for the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Professor Johnson Nyarko Boampong, have formally called on the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to withdraw its directive asking him to step aside.
This was contained in a letter dated September 19, 2025, addressed to GTEC and copied to the Minister of Education, the Chancellor and Council Chair of UCC, and the Chairman of Vice-Chancellors’ Ghana.
GTEC on September 18 directed Prof. Boampong to step aside, appointing Professor Denis Worlanyo Aheto as acting Vice-Chancellor.
GTEC noted that Prof. Boampong remains in office despite surpassing the mandatory retirement age of 60, in violation of Article 199(1) of the 1992 Constitution.
However, Prof. Boampong’s legal team has described the directive as unlawful and in direct violation of a subsisting court order.
The lawyers argued that GTEC’s latest directive mirrors an earlier attempt by a former UCC Council Chairman to remove the Vice-Chancellor through a text message, an action currently under litigation at the Cape Coast High Court.
They pointed out that on October 8, 2024, the High Court issued an injunction restraining the University’s Governing Council and related parties from taking any steps to remove or suspend Prof. Boampong until the case is fully determined.
A subsequent effort by GTEC to set aside the injunction was dismissed by the Supreme Court on February 5, 2025.
The legal team further noted that Ghana’s Constitution allows individuals over the age of 60 to hold public office under certain conditions, supporting their client’s eligibility to remain in office.
They also referenced UCC’s rollover policy and governing statutes as additional legal grounds for the Vice-Chancellor’s continued tenure.
“It is therefore surprising that you have issued a letter effectively suspending our client’s appointment,” the lawyers stated. “Your actions not only disregard a valid court order but also contravene the Statutes of the University.”
The lawyers demanded that GTEC immediately withdraw its letter, insisting that Prof. Boampong will continue to perform his duties as Vice-Chancellor in compliance with the law and university regulations.
They warned that failure to comply would compel them to take further legal action to enforce the court’s authority.
