GTEC Halts All Government Support to UCC, Labels University “Non-Existent” Over VC Tenure Dispute
The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has suspended all major dealings with the University of Cape Coast (UCC), blocking government funding, accreditation, and administrative services while declaring the institution “non-existent” on its official portal.
The drastic measure stems from UCC’s refusal to remove Vice-Chancellor Professor Johnson Nyarko Boampong, who turned 60 on September 18, exceeding the mandatory retirement age for public officers.
In a statement dated September 22, signed by Acting Deputy Director-General Professor Augustine Ocloo, GTEC cited UCC’s non-compliance with a prior directive and a High Court injunction from October 8, 2024, which bars the university’s Governing Council from acting on Boampong’s appointment.
GTEC argues that the Vice-Chancellor’s role is a public office under Section 7(1) of the University of Cape Coast Act, 1992 (PNDCL 278), subject to Article 199(1) of the 1992 Constitution, mandating retirement at 60. UCC’s Statutes (2016) further limit tenure to a four-year initial term, renewable for three years only if below retirement age.
As a result, GTEC will not process UCC’s requests for:
Programme accreditation
Government salary subventions
GETFund disbursements
Research and book allowances
Post-retirement contracts
Financial clearance for recruitment
Other administrative matters
The suspension remains until UCC provides evidence of compliance. In the interim, GTEC has appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Denis Worlanyo Aheto as Acting Vice-Chancellor pending the Cape Coast High Court’s resolution of the ongoing legal dispute.
UCC management rejected GTEC’s September 19 directive in an emergency meeting, insisting Boampong’s contract runs until July 2026 and that GTEC lacks authority to override court orders or university statutes. The matter has been referred to the University Council, with Boampong’s lawyers threatening legal action for “usurpation of powers” and interference in academic independence. Legal academic Kwaku Asare urged GTEC to “hold its horses” and await the court’s ruling, noting regulators cannot overrule judges.
The controversy, which began with a 2024 court challenge to Boampong’s reappointment, risks destabilizing UCC operations, including student admissions and research funding. Stakeholders, including the Minister of Education and Vice-Chancellors Ghana, have been notified.
