A group of Concerned Faculty and Staff of the Bolgatanga Technical University (BTU) has petitioned President John Dramani Mahama to remove Dr Bishop Akolgo as Chairman of the University’s Governing Council, citing what they described as administrative overreach and disregard for due process.
At a press briefing held on the university’s main campus in Sumbrungu, the group stressed that their action was not motivated by personal differences, institutional rivalry, or political interest, but by the need to safeguard academic freedom and uphold the integrity of the institution.
“This matter is about preserving and ensuring a lawful and stable environment for students, teaching and non-teaching staff of the university,” Dr Martin Awe Akilla, spokesperson of the group and a lecturer at the university, who read the petition said.
The petition, addressed to the President through Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the Minister of Education, urged decisive intervention in the “administrative crisis” at BTU.
The group alleged that since assuming office in August 2025, Dr Akolgo had engaged in unilateral decision-making and interfered in the day-to-day management of the university, contrary to the supervisory and strategic role of a governing council.
They accused the Chairman of directly issuing directives to staff without recourse to the Vice-Chancellor, holding meetings without informing the Vice-Chancellor, and bypassing established management structures, thereby creating what they termed a “parallel power structure.”
Among other allegations, the group claimed the Chairman annexed the Vice-Chancellor’s official vehicle for inspection duties without due process and unilaterally disapproved official travel by the Vice-Chancellor, including participation in meetings of Vice-Chancellors of Technical Universities in Ghana.
The petitioners further alleged that major decisions were taken without council consensus, including proposed changes to the university’s vision, mission, core values, and 10-year strategic plan, which they said had been developed by a committee and validated by stakeholders in 2024.
They also cited what they described as unhealthy engagement between the Council Chairman and the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), the university’s regulator, warning that the situation had strained relations and could adversely affect teaching and learning.
The group expressed concern over attempts to remove the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Samuel Erasmus Alnaa, alleging that the Chairman had questioned the legality of his reappointment despite validation by relevant bodies and a High Court ruling in Bolgatanga.
They further called for an investigation into alleged procurement breaches to be handled by an independent body, arguing that allowing the Council Chairman to oversee such a process would amount to making him “a referee in his own case.”
According to the petitioners, the leadership style of the Chairman had created tension between the Governing Council, management, and staff, resulting in low morale and fear of reprisal among some staff members.
They also raised concerns about what they described as wasteful expenditure on numerous council meetings to revisit matters already determined.
The group demanded the immediate removal of Dr Akolgo as Council Chairman and also called for the dissolution of the current Governing Council, if necessary, to restore stability and adherence to the rule of law.
They warned that if their concerns were not addressed within two weeks, they would “advise themselves accordingly.”
In the same briefing, the group outlined what they described as major achievements of the Vice-Chancellor, including improved financial management without bank overdrafts, increased student enrolment through new academic programmes, expansion of programmes from about 11 to more than 35, improved staff promotions, enhanced internet connectivity, research and innovation grants, and strengthened international partnerships.
They also credited the Vice-Chancellor with overseeing the transition of the institution from a polytechnic to a technical university and demanded that he be allowed to complete his tenure.
When contacted by the Ghana News Agency, Dr Akolgo said the actions of the concerned staff were within their constitutional rights.
However, he noted that he could not respond to the specific allegations because he had not yet received full details of the petition to study and respond appropriately.
