A visually impaired PhD applicant, Isaac Anin Baah, has filed a lawsuit against the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) alleging discrimination and neglect in the university’s admissions process.
The lawsuit involves KNUST, the Registrar, the Dean of the School of Public Health, and the Dean of the Graduate School, with Mr Baah demanding a one million Ghana Cedis for negligence along with legal costs.
He has demanded KNUST additional relief deemed appropriate by the court. The plaintiff applied to the university for a PhD in Public Health for the 2023–2024 academic year.
Mr Baah recounted receiving official admission letters from the offices of the Registrar and the Dean of the School of Public Health, complete with instructions on medicals, fee payment, and an invitation to an interview.
He was even given the green light to attend student orientation.
It indicates, “Plaintiff states that his lawyer wrote several letters to the Defendants demanding grounds for the revocation of his admission letter, but Defendants have willfully failed to respond to same. 13. Plaintiff believes that the revocation of his offer of admission is unjust and unless this honorable court intervenes, he will be denied admission and suffer unjust treatment from the Defendants. 14. Plaintiff states that the list of admitted students as published on the website of the 4th Defendant includes his name and in fact, Plaintiff’s name is first on the list.”
The university further reinforced his admission by including his name on both a joint list of all students admitted to PhD studies for the academic year and a specific list for the Department of Public Health, all published on KNUST’s website.
However, according to a writ filed at the High Court in Kumasi, Mr Baah received a letter from the third defendant on November 13, 2023, instructing him not to attend the interview without any valid reason.
The lawsuit claims that KNUST withdrew his admission twice, despite his successful completion of a Master of Science (MSc) in Disability and Rehabilitation Studies at the same institution.
Mr Baah’s legal action, submitted to a High Court in Kumasi, follows multiple unanswered requests from his lawyers for explanations regarding the revocation of his admission.
The writ highlighted that Mr Baah’s admission was initially confirmed through official letters and published lists, but he was later informed that his admission was a mistake without valid justification.
“Plaintiff states that he later received a surprisingly unexpected call from the Secretary of the 3rd Defendant informing him that his admission was an error and therefore, invalid,” the writ added.
The writ underscores, “revoking an admission offer to the Plaintiff without any stated reasons, justifications or grounds raises concerns of discrimination based on his disability.
It further points out, “a Ghanaian Citizen with visual impairment seeking to pursue [PHD] with the Defendants should not be met by these unfortunate events but rather, to create the enabling environment and support to encourage other person with disabilities to defy all odds to achieve their dreams.”
According to the court documents, Mr Baah’s experience has caused him to lose a scholarship and has deeply affected his academic aspirations.
He is seeking compensation of one million Ghana Cedis for the distress and lost opportunities, alongside questioning the university’s commitment to inclusive education as outlined in the Salamanca Statement and Sustainable Development Goal 4.
Represented by Roseford Advocates, Baah’s lawyer, Carruthers Tetteh, is alleging that KNUST’s actions breach the Persons with Disability Act 2006 and other relevant regulations.
Mr Baah, an educationist and teacher at Nkwanta Kese Methodist Junior High School, is calling for a judicial review to address what he describes as unjust treatment based on his disability.