Court Order Reinstatement Of Prof. Avoke As UEW Vice-Chancellor

– As Afenyo Markins’ Dirty Political Witch-hunt Fails.

High Court there ordered the reinstatement of Prof. Avoke as the substantive Vice-Chancellor (V-C) of the University of Education, Winneba following his ouster in 2017 via partisan victimisation by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo Markins.

The High Court presided over by his lordship, Aboagye Tandoh, also ordered that Prof. Avoke along with other officials who had been removed from office as a result of Afenyo Markins’ dirty hatchet job, be paid all their salary arrears with retrospective effect from the day they were unlawfully removed.

The victory, which Prof. Avoke has said is a victory for justice and fairness interestingly is coming at a time that Afenyo Markins’ position as Deputy Majority Leader, is reportedly under threat because Dome Kwabenya MP, Sarah Adwoa Sarfo, wants that position.

It would be recalled that Prof. Avoke, who had been appointed by the predecessor government of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) took office immediately after the NPP came into office in 2017. However, Afenyo Markins had led a sustained hatchet job to have him removed from office.

Markins was acting under the advice of one Supi Kofi Kwayera, who had insisted that the Vice-Chancellor and the then-Finance Officer, were operating under the institution’s defunct governing council.

Thenceforth, Prof. Avoke had been dragged to court and removed from office even while the case was still in court with President Akufo-Addo appointing Prof. Afful Broni, in his place. President Akufo Addo had graced the inauguration of Prof. Afful Broni, despite the controversy surrounding his appointment.

The persecutions, led by Afenyo Markins who was serving as the legal wizard chasing an unsubstantiated claim that Prof. Avokeh had embezzled money. The claim eventually led to a Winneba High Court ordering him to step aside until the substantive case of the V-C serving under a defunct Governing Council was determined in court.

Avoke’s accusers had argued that the University’s Council’s mandate had expired in November 2013, but the Education Ministry failed to constitute a new one for the university and rather allowed it to continue in the functions of a properly constituted Governing Council.

In December 2017, the court would rule that Prof Avoke, together with some other Principal Officers of the University, step aside following from which they were removed by the school’s Governing Council.

Later, the Supreme Court overturned the High Court’s decision which led to the removal.

However, in total disregard for the Supreme Court, the management of the school, insisted Prof. Avoke will not be reinstated because his dismissal was determined by the institution’s Governing Council.

The dirty politics underpinning the victimization of Prof. Avokeh peeved many people, including a private citizen, Samuel Kweku Ghartey, who went to the High Court to demand the reinstatement of Prof. Avoke and the other officers.

His Lordship Aboagye Tandoh’s judgment granted all the reliefs.

Meanwhile, Prof. Avoke has vowed not to use his return to the UEW Vice Chancellorship to seek revenge but work to reconcile the school behind a singular vision.