Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has intervened in the impasse surrounding the reappointment of Professor Rita Akosua Dickson as the Vice Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi.
The intervention of Asantehene, who is also the Chancellor of the University, has resulted in the withdrawal of legal action by two plaintiffs against the Governing Council of the university and Prof Mrs Dickson.
At a meeting convened at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi on Friday, Mr Isaac Mensah, a member of the KNUST Stores Department, and Mr Clement Ohene Asare, an alumnus, who had separately initiated lawsuits at the Kumasi High Court against the Governing Council and the Vice-Chancellor, mutually agreed to retract the suits and stop litigating.
The legal actions were instigated to contest the process by which the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Mrs Dickson, was granted a two-year extension subsequent to the conclusion of her initial term of office, on August 1, this year.
The plaintiffs contended that the Governing Council had erred procedurally in endorsing the extension and had not adhered to the regulations stipulated in the KNUST Governing Constitution.
Following deliberations with the plaintiffs, the Asantehene urged for the withdrawal of the cases to avert disruptions of academic undertakings and ensure the seamless functioning of the university.
The Asantehene, however, pledged to address any remaining issues in due course.
Source: GNA