Member of Parliament (MP) for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo Markin says the Winneba High Court never ordered the closure of the University of Education.
According to him, the decision by the Registrar of the school, Dr. Christopher Mensah to close the school down is worse than the dastardly manner in which the army officer, Major Maxwell Mahama was killed at Denkyira-Obuasi in the Central Region on May 29.
He said the registrar’s move has undermined and brought the name of the court into disrepute.
“The registrar is in contempt of court for claiming that the court has ordered for the closure of the university. The court never said that. It wasn’t even in the reliefs and so I think he is doing that just to sabotage Ghana and the school. What he is doing is even worse than what the Denkyira-Obuasi residents did to late Major Mahama Captain,” he said.
Mr Afenyo Markin was speaking on Adom FM’s Morning Show “Dwaso Nsem” Wednesday in connection with the all campuses of the University of Education which have been shut down due to a suit filed against the school at the Winneba High Court.
A statement from the University signed by the Registrar, Dr. C.Y Mensah indicated that “In line with the decision of the court, the members of the University Community, comprising, UTAG executives, Deans, Heads of Department, and representatives of Senior Members have therefore decided to shut down the University until Friday 16th June, 2017 when the substantive case will be heard.”
The statement further indicated that “In order not to flout the directive of the court, the Registrar has been directed by the University community at a meeting held today 13th June, 2017 to communicate the closure of all campuses of the University (Winneba, Kumasi, Mampong-Ashanti, and Ajumako).”
The order given for the University was as a result of a suit filed by one Supi Kofi Kwayera represented on Tuesday June 13, 2017 in court by the Member of Parliament of Effutu, Alexander Afenyo Markin challenging the legality of certain actions taken by the then Governing Councils of the University.
But Afenyo Markin reacting to the issue urged the registrar to as a matter of urgency rescind its decision of shutting down the school since the future of some 46,000 students including those doing distance learning is at risk.
He accused the registrar of disregarding the laws governing the University and therefore could be charge for his conduct.
“It’s bad for the registrar to act without any order when you know that there is a law governing the university. He should allow the students to go back to school or face their wrath,” he warned.
Listen to Afenyo Markin talking to Captain Smart
On his part, the Registrar of the school, Dr. Christopher Mensah said once there is a court injunction, they can’t act until the court finally rules on the matter.
“We can’t take any decision without the court. The court ordered us to shut it down and we have done that and so it is important that we wait for the next step of the court” he said.
Listen to the registrar