National Accreditation Board keenly interested in UG investigations

A statement signed by the acting Executive Secretary of the National Accreditation Board (NAB), DR. KINGSLEY NYARKO has hinted at the board’s interest in the sexual harassment scandals raging through the country’s tertiary institutions.

This follows the damning exposé captured in BBC undercover investigation titled “Sex For Grades”

The NAB statement issued a few days ago says will not countenance any inappropriate behaviour which will compromise teaching and learning and affect standards in tertiary education of the country.

Two lecturers of the University of Ghana Prof. Ransford Gyampo and Dr. Paul Kwame Butakor captured in the BBC documentary have already been interdicted.

National Accreditation Board’s statement is also encouraging students are to acquaint themselves with the sexual harassment policy of the various institutions, and gather the courage to expose those involved.

The Board noted that as regulator of tertiary education, it is appalled by the potential damage the BBC investigative piece could do to the reputation of The University of Ghana. It has subsequently tasked all institutions to protect students, especially the females, by instituting appropriate systems, structures, strengthen and fully implement their sexual harassment policies.

The University hopes a committee to be set up to investigate the case against the two in the documentary which focused on alleged sexual misconduct at the University of Ghana and the University of Lagos. It has subsequently informed the public particularly past students with experiences to share to assist the committee.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Senate has gone a step further and is introducing a bill that aims to prevent the sexual harassment of university students.

Under the proposed law, read in the Senate on Wednesday, teaching staff could face up to 14 years in jail for having sexual relationships with their students. The anti-sexual harassment bill was originally introduced in 2016 but didn’t get through both houses in parliament. Critics rejected the bill because it did not cover sexual harassment in the workplace and included defence for consent. The defence for consent has been removed from the latest bill.  The Senate’s deputy President Senator Ovie Omo-Agege is optimistic of overwhelming approval.