The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has suspended the processing of all major requests from the University of Cape Coast (UCC) until the institution complies with its directive regarding the tenure of Vice-Chancellor Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong. In a letter dated Monday, September 22, 2025, addressed to the UCC Registrar, GTEC explained that this decision was necessary because the university’s Governing Council has been restrained by a High Court injunction since October 8, 2024, from making any decisions about Prof. Boampong’s appointment. Despite this injunction, GTEC noted that Prof. Boampong has remained in office beyond the compulsory retirement age.
The Commission stated it will no longer process requests from UCC relating to:
Accreditation
Salaries (government subventions)
GETFund support
Book and Research Allowance
Post-retirement contracts
Financial clearance for recruitment
Any other related matters
The directive, signed by Prof. Augustine Ocloo, Acting Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), emphasizes that the suspension takes immediate effect. It will remain in place until there is full compliance with the directive and evidence of such compliance is provided to the Commission. Additionally, a search conducted by Citi Newsroom on the GTEC website revealed that the University of Cape Coast (UCC) has been removed from the list of public universities, indicating that the university is no longer recognized.
Last week, GTEC directed Prof. Boampong to vacate his post, citing his stay in office beyond the mandatory retirement age of 60.
In a letter dated Friday, September 19, 2025, the Commission wrote:
“The Office of the Vice-Chancellor, being an office established under Section 7(1) of the University of Cape Coast Act, 1992 (PNDCL 278), is a public office under the meaning and intendment of Article 199(1). Hence, anyone acting in the office of the Vice-Chancellor is presumptively mandated to proceed on compulsory retirement upon attaining 60 years.”
GTEC also referenced the University of Cape Coast Statutes (2016), which provide that the Vice-Chancellor’s tenure is four years, renewable for another three years, provided the statutory retirement age is not exceeded.
In the interim, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Professor Denis Worlanyo Aheto, was directed by GTEC to act as Vice-Chancellor.
The Commission further acknowledged that the case is before the Cape Coast High Court and instructed the UCC Governing Council to suspend the appointment of a substantive Vice-Chancellor until the matter is resolved.
Source: William Narh
