There is rising agitation against the scheduled ceremony where Reverend Father Prof. Anthony Afful-Broni, the embattled Vice Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), would decorate the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Mike Oquaye with an honorary doctorate degree and the latest to add his voice to the concerns raised is Mr. Franklin Cudjoe, Chief Executive Officer of IMANI Centre for Policy and Education.
The Speaker of Parliament is lacing boot to travel to Winneba to be decorated with the honorary doctorate degree to be conferred on him by UEW but the move has been described as politically incorrect and potentially injurious to the otherwise intact and impeccable reputation of the Right Honourable Speaker.
Stakeholders from the University itself have expressed surprise that the Speaker of Parliament has confirmed he would travel to Winneba to receive the honorary doctorate degree from a VC whose legitimacy or otherwise has become a legal battle and he has been asked to step aside for the former VC to take over.
Several teaching and non-teaching staff of the UEW who were dismissed under the Afful-Broni regime and have taken him to court over gross human rights violations have also called on the Speaker of Parliament to reconsider his decision as it would be injurious to his enviable reputation.
Mr. Cudjoe, on his Facebook wall wrote: “The most venerable Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Oquaye needs no further accolades. If he must, need and indeed accept any new ones, they must add immense value above his impeccable credentials- Further, any such grace to be bestowed on Rt. Honourable Oquaye must not come from controversial quarters where perennial leadership struggle has been so bitter and likely to impugn professional academic integrity. Which is why I was worried gravely”,
The IMANI Boss continued: “when I saw social media ads suggesting that the embattled sectarian leadership of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) was about conferring an honourary award on Speaker Mike Oquaye. I am most certain that such a decision is at best promoted by one half of the leadership while the other part could only look on forlornly. Such important academic honour to be bestowed on our academically renowned political scientist, reverend minister and above all the Speaker of our Parliament must not be mired in needless controversy. In these days of littered awards, one for our Speaker must be above idle chatter. But does my friend, Rt. Honourable Speaker need another award?”
NPP UNHAPPY
Political tension in Winneba is rising over the posture of Mr. Mike Oquaye and concerns raised are that his attitude would mean he is supporting Afful-Broni, a man who has been accused of working against the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the constituency.
Indeed Prof. Afful-Broni, was sponsoring an independent parliamentary candidate to challenge the incumbent MP for Effutu, Alex Afenyo-Markin, Chief of Effutu Zongo, Salaki Sulemana Salaga IV, has alleged in a statement gone viral.
The Effutu Zongo Chief is among a tall list of community and opinion leaders who have publicly called on Prof. Afful-Broni to desist from tarnishing the reputation of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) led government and Afenyo-Markin in the constituency.
“If you have gotten your independent candidate you are sponsoring to contest the 2020 elections, go ahead and do so with your ill-gotten wealth but not at the expense and reputation of our dear MP”, Salaki Sulemana Salaga IV noted in a letter he addressed to Prof. Afful-Broni.
Several NPP stakeholders within the Effutu Constituency have expressed similar concerns and explained that though they are not scared of a supposed independent candidate, their worry is how the reputation of the party and the incumbent MP is being tarnished on purpose.
Though Prof. Afful-Broni has denied the allegations and has said he is an innocent man with a clean heart, the bad-blood between him and the NPP in the area is not unknown.
For Mike Oquaye, a kingpin of the party to ignore the concerns of his own people and go ahead to accept the honorary doctorate degree he does not need, raises curiosity on what the intent may be.
