Authorities of the University of Ghana have been referred to Parliament’s Education Committee by the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu for failing to abide to a High Court directive.
According to him, the Committee should probe the reason behind the University’s intransigence.
“I would refer this statement to the Committee of Education and urge them to engage the University and to report back to us why the University authorities, headed by the immediate past Chief Justice – she is the Chairman of the University Council, so we expect that she will ensure that the sanctity of the court order is respected,” he said.
It would be recalled that the University of Ghana was directed by an Accra High Court to halt its residential policy which removed continuing Commonwealth Hall students from the Hall.
The University is yet to comply with the directive.
However, the MP for Builsa South, delivering a statement on the floor, criticised the University for failing to adhere to the court order.
According to him, the continuous refusal of the Management of the University of Ghana to reinstate the affected students, as ordered by the court, is unacceptable and unlawful.
“Mr Speaker, we call on you and this august House and all well-meaning Ghanaians to join us to impress upon the University of Ghana to do the needful by respecting the laws of the land,” he said.
Also, a bipartisan group of MPs slammed the University’s reluctance to obey the order of the court.
They are; Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman Manu, Dormaa East MP, Paul Twum Barima, MP for Salaga South, Zuwera Ibrahimah and Bole Bamboi MP Yusif Sulemana.
According to them, the House cannot allow the University to flout a court order.
“It is a very serious matter. Disobeying a court order with impunity as a citizen of this country. The University doesn’t belong to individuals and I am surprised why a whole institution would be allowed to impugn on the dignity of court in our country,” Mr. Agyeman Manu said.
They added that the disregard for the court ruling is sad.
According to them, the hall has produced very important personalities who are contributing to the development of the nation, therefore the hall should not be toyed with.
It was on the back of this debates that the Speaker referred the issue to Parliament’s Education Committee to be investigated.