Professor at the University of Ghana, Legon (UG) Ransford Yaw Gyampo says the premier university will go every length to ensure that the law is obeyed as regards the margin by which its fees are increased for the 2022/2023 academic year.
The UG spokesperson insists the recently increased fees are within the limits approved by Parliament.
“The University of Ghana hasn’t charged any fees that is illegal,” he emphasised in an interview on Midday Live on TV3 on Thursday, January 5.
It comes after the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, having met dons of some public universities earlier in the day, directed them all to charge fees in accordance with the 15 percent approved by Parliament.
But Prof Gyampo maintains that is what the University of Ghana, Legon has done.
“I am sorry to say that we will go on a mission of positive defiance to ensure that the right thing is done. To charge 15 percent on a fee that is not approved will mean we have no integrity. It will mean we will be doing something that is illegal,” he explained.
“So, with the greatest of respect to the Minister, who is a good friend of mine, we will plead with him, he is a Member of Parliament, he should look at what Parliament approved for us and when he get that figure, he can do his calculation on that to see whether what we have done is illegal or not.”
Prof Gyampo raised suspicion about the possible reason behind the stance taken by government over the matter.
“What I see is that what is going on is purely partisan. It appears that if we allow them to do the right thing, then some people will be complaining and make the government [look] very bad but the point is that we cannot sacrifiec obedience to the law simply because we want to let the Minister and his government look good.
“The university must be run and must be run based on money.”
He said if government has anything to do to save students from the hardship, it should rather implement policies and programmes for all Ghanaians to be cushioned.