By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Professor Johnson Nyarko Boampong, has rejected a directive from the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) instructing him to proceed on retirement, insisting that he remains in office with the backing of court orders.
Last week, GTEC directed Prof. Denis Worlanyo Aheto, the Pro-Vice Chancellor, to act as Vice-Chancellor, citing Article 199(1) of the 1992 Constitution which pegs the compulsory retirement age for public officers at 60. The Commission argued that Prof. Boampong had crossed that threshold and should not continue in office.
But in a strongly worded response dated September 19, 2025, and signed by his lawyer, Dennis Adjei Dwomoh of Law Plus Firm, Prof. Boampong said 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.”
His lawyers cited a 2024 High Court injunction in Cape Coast which barred the university and its council from removing him, suspending him, or interfering with his reappointment until a pending case is concluded. They also referenced a February 2025 Supreme Court ruling that dismissed GTEC’s attempt to overturn the injunction.
The letter further accused GTEC of “disrespecting court orders” and omitting key constitutional provisions such as Article 199(4), which allows for contracts beyond 60 years, as well as UCC’s rollover policy.
GTEC has asked UCC’s Governing Council to postpone the appointment of a substantive Vice-Chancellor until the case is resolved, but Prof. Boampong maintains that any such move undermines the university’s statutes and academic independence.
The tussle has plunged UCC into uncertainty, with staff and students closely watching how the standoff between GTEC, the university council, and Prof. Boampong will be resolved.
