The University of Ghana has said it won’t be “protecting” any of its employee or student engaging in sexual harassment or misconduct.The school’s director of public affairs, Stella Amoa who reacted to BBC’s hour-long documentary which exposed some Ghanaian and Nigerian lecturers who force their students into having an amorous relationship with them in exchange for grades, condemned the act and further stated that none of its employee is above the law.
Stella said Yaw Gyampo, a professor of political science, and Paul Butakor, a lecturer at the college of education will be invited for by its anti-sexual harassment committee to assist in investigation into the BBC documentary.
“The University of Ghana’s attention has been drawn to a BBC documentary entitled ‘Sex for Grades’ Undercover in West African Universities fully aired in the evening of October 7. 2019,” the statement read.
“We would like to state unequivocally that the University place great importance on issues of sexual harassment and misconduct, and condemn any of such acts.
“Given that commitment, the Business and Executive Committee of the University has taken a decision to interdict Prof. Ransford Gyampo and Dr. Paul Kwame Butakor, the two lecturers featured in the documentary to allow for further investigations into the matter.
“While the University of Ghana believes sexual harassment is fundamentally about exploiting power imbalance and voicelessness, we also understand the harmful impact it has on individuals, families and institutions.
“It is for this reason that the University has taken steps to encourage students and employees to report any form of sexual harassment and misconduct and has also instituted measures to punish anyone found guilty of the offence.
“The University will prosecute the current matter under investigation in addition to all outstanding cases before the Committee.
“We would like to state emphatically that the University of Ghana does not and will not shield any employee or student found to have engaged in sexual harassment or misconduct. No member of the University is considered above the law.”
This is coming after the University’s anti-sexual harassment committee chairperson, Margaret Amoakohene cleared the lecturers of any wrong doing. According to her, the evidence shared in the documentary does not point to the allegation of sex for grades against them.