By Our Reporter
The constitutionally mandated principal legal advisor to Government, the Attorney-General, has officially advised that the hitherto Financial Officer (FO) of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), Francis Obeng, should be made to step aside for the position to return to Dr. Theophilus Senyo Ackorlie, the substantive FO who was wrongfully interdicted but has been asked by a Court Order to be reinstated, after the grounds for his interdiction were found to be frivolous and without merit.
This legal advice from the Attorney-General, after it was acted upon by the Chairman of the Governing Council of the University, Nana Ofori Ansah I, has caused some grumblings among friends of the outgoing FO, Francis Obeng and they have taken the Council Chairman to the cleaners, and accusing him of taking a personal decision rather than a decision based on the AG’s legal advice.
Meanwhile, the Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, in an official correspondence dated February 22, 2022 and submitted to all relevant stakeholders including Minister for Education Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, the UEW Vice Chancellor Professor Mawutor Avoke and the Council Chair, Nana Ofori Ansah I, was categorical: “Mr. Francis Obeng’s appointment could be terminated forthwith to make room for the reinstatement of Dr. Theophilus Senyo Ackorlie as ordered by the Court.”
The Attorney General had explained that Mr. Francis Obeng sought leave of absence from his employment as Deputy Finance Officer at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) to take up his current job at UEW at a time the substantive FO, Mr. Ackorlie was on interdiction and was contending in court.
“Consequently, Mr. Francis Obeng’s appointment as a Finance Officer at the UEW when the substantive Finance Officer was on interdiction is not a nullity. He was duly offered the appointment by UEW, and he accepted, and then sought permission from his employment to be absent for a period.
“Since there was no restraining order against UEW from engaging anyone for the position of Finance Officer and pending the determination of the matter in court.
“The meaning and effect of the ruling of the Court is that, Dr. Theophilus Senyo Ackorlie, a Principal Officer, ought to be reinstated to his rank and position of authority at the University. That rank and position of authority can only be that of the Finance Officer. There is no equivalent. To this extent, Dr. Ackorlie should be reinstated to the grade and office of a Finance Officer, since he has been cleared of all charges leveled against him”, the Attorney-General noted.
It, therefore, cannot be true that Nana Ofori Ansah I, the UEW Governing Council Chairman, in complying with the Court Order to reinstate Dr. Ackorlie to his position and also in complying with the advice of the Attorney General, which the sector Minister is in known, was acting on his own.
