Shields ‘NPP Principal’ From Probe Amidst Financial Scandal
Professor Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, Director-General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), stands accused of a brazen power grab, allegedly interfering with the disciplinary processes of the St. Francis College of Education in Hohoe, Volta Region.
Sources close to the college claim Prof. Jinapor, elder brother to the prominent Jinapor political duo, unilaterally halted disciplinary proceedings against the College’s Principal, Dr. Adwoa Kwegyiriba, despite her being embroiled in allegations of misconduct and financial irregularities.
Dr. Kwegyiriba, a known and unsuccessful parliamentary candidate for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), was facing a disciplinary panel over accusations of improper conduct in her official duties.
The Governing Council of the St. Francis College of Education views Prof. Jinapor’s actions as a direct assault on its oversight responsibilities, especially given the Principal’s history of alleged financial impropriety.
Jinapor’s Controversial Directive
A letter dated November 11, 2024, from Prof. Jinapor Abdulai to the Council’s Chairman, demanded an immediate halt to all disciplinary proceedings.
The GTEC boss questioned why the Council was proceeding with an invitation to Dr. Kwegyiriba to appear before its disciplinary panel, citing a previous meeting where, according to him, they “Agreed that Council and Management should revisit the issues and report back to the Commission on the outcome. This yet to be done.”
The letter further stated, “Informed by this latest development, the Commission directs that all disciplinary proceedings be STAYED and the investigative reports on the matter should be provided to the Commission for study and subsequent discussion with Council and Management on the way forward.”
Copies of this controversial directive were sent to the then Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, and the Catholic Bishop of Ho Diocese.
Prof. Jinapor also referenced ongoing police investigations into the Principal’s conduct, requesting that their findings be shared with GTEC.
Principal Snubs Panel, Citing GTEC ‘Advice’
This dramatic intervention by the GTEC Director-General came just as Dr. Kwegyiriba was due to appear before a Disciplinary Panel of the Council on Monday, November 11, 2024, at the Tomreik Hotel in East Legon, Accra.
The invitation, sent by Prof. Mawuloe Koffi Kodah, Chairman of the Disciplinary Panel, concerned the “Improper award of a 2-year study leave with pay to Mr Benjamin Nyarko-Anti, an administrative staff of the College, incredible and disdainful.”
It is alleged that Dr. Kwegyiriba, seeking refuge, informed Prof. Jinapor Abdulai of the invitation, subsequently receiving the backing needed to defy the Council.
In a defiant letter dated November 9, Dr. Kwegyiriba informed the Panel: “I would like to respectfully inform you that I have been advised by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission not to appear before the disciplinary committee, when the issue of invitation to appear before the disciplinary panel got their attention.
I have demonstrated a great deal of respect and submission to the Council and the investigative committee panel. However, based on the advice from the tertiary education regulatory body, I am unable to appear before the disciplinary committee on November 11, 2024.”
Council Fumes: “Incredible” and “Disdainful”
Prof. Mawuloe Koffi Kodah, incensed by the Principal’s disregard and Prof. Jinapor’s alleged interference, fired back, labeling Dr. Kwegyiriba’s excuse as “incredible” and “disdainful.”
He asserted that the Principal’s refusal to appear was not only disrespectful and untenable but also severely undermined the authority of the College’s Governing Council.
“This position represents counterproductive development that contradicts established principles of institutional and corporate governance as well as best practices,” Prof. Kodah’s letter to the Principal stated.
He emphasized that the Principal is fundamentally accountable to the Council, which employed her through laid-down procedures and presented her to GTEC for approval.
Prof. Kodah found it “inconceivable for the Council to be learn that the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission ‘advised you not to appear before the Council’s Disciplinary Panel regarding an issue related to your duties and responsibilities as Principal of the College.”
He demanded official documentation supporting the alleged advice from GTEC.
A Challenge to Governance Structure
In a subsequent letter to Prof. Jinapor Abdulai dated November 14, 2024, the Council’s Chairman, Rev. Prof. Michael P. K. Okyerefo, expressed deep dismay, highlighting a perceived shift in Prof. Jinapor’s stance from earlier interactions with the Governing Council.
He demanded a formal letter from GTEC validating the Principal’s claims, noting a lack of proof.
Excerpts from the minutes of a previous meeting between the D-G and the Council reveal that Prof. Jinapor himself had faulted the Principal on several counts.
He reportedly clarified that the Principal was wrong in validating deceased staff for payments and that the opinion of the Attorney General in such matters is not law.
He also deemed the granting of study leave with pay to a staff who did not meet minimum service requirements as a “great error,” stating that even the Council or GTEC lacked the power to grant such leave.
Furthermore, the minutes show Prof. Jinapor questioning the Principal’s decision to embark on a study program without Council approval and its relevance to her duties, as well as the financial strain frequent travel for studies would impose on the College.
Financial Irregularities at Core of Probe
The Principal, whose current tenure ends in August 2025, pending renewal, faces allegations of unilaterally granting a two-year study leave with pay to Benjamin Nyarko-Anti, an administrative staff, after only 22 months of continuous service.
This directly contravenes the Harmonized Conditions of Service for Colleges of Education (Article 18.05), which stipulates a minimum of 36 months of continuous service.
This unauthorized decision has allegedly resulted in the payment of GHc61,667.67 to Nyarko-Anti from August 2023 to August 2024.
Investigations also revealed that Nyarko-Anti was reportedly offered admission for a one-year course, not two, leading to a Master of Accounting and Finance at the University of Clermont Auvergne, France.
The Committee’s report uncovered numerous malpractices and infractions against the Principal, management members, and the Staff Development and Research Committee, recommending that Dr. Kwegyiriba appear before a Committee of Council to explain why disciplinary action, including a surcharge for the unearned salary, should not be taken against her in line with the PFM Act, 2016 (Act 921) and other relevant enactments.
Political Ties and Future Controversies
The New Republic has obtained further information suggesting Dr. Adwoa Kwegyiriba used her position to further the agenda of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
This paper will soon expose how she allegedly served as a Special Campaign Advisor for an MP and actively frustrated President John Mahama’s campaign in 2024. Her past failed parliamentary bids for the NPP are also on record.
Concerns are also mounting over attempts by Prof. Jinapor Abdulai to renew Dr. Kwegyiriba’s contract when the new Council is constituted, despite the immediate past Governing Council’s unanimous vote of no confidence in her.