Residents of Sumbrungu, a community in Bolgatanga, the capital of the Upper East Region, are demanding the removal of the Vice-Chancellor of Bolgatanga Technical University. On Wednesday, they staged a protest, blocking the Vice-Chancellor from attending a meeting initiated by the Director-General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai.Tensions have been escalating for several weeks between the university’s Governing Council and GTEC.
This discord began when the Governing Council directed the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Samuel Erasmus Alnaa, to take a year of accrued annual leave starting December 19, 2025. In his absence, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof. Peter Osei Boamah was appointed as Acting Vice-Chancellor, with Richard Abugre Atia being named Registrar effective January 1, 2026.
These directives were communicated to the university community via a circular dated December 15, 2025, signed by Dr. Bishop Akolgo, the chair of the Governing Council. However, GTEC’s Director-General responded unexpectedly by directing the Governing Council to suspend its decisions.
Nevertheless, the Council reiterated its directive for the Vice-Chancellor to proceed on leave, with the Pro-Vice-Chancellor stepping in as Acting Vice-Chancellor.
As the dispute intensified, Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai scheduled a meeting with the Governing Council for January 14, 2026, reportedly to reverse its previous decisions. Upon his arrival, he was met with protests from Sumbrungu residents who leveled several allegations against the Vice-Chancellor and demanded his removal.
The protesters prevented him from entering the campus for the meeting, despite appeals from some in the university community Prof. Jinapor described the protesters as a small group but emphasized the need for peace.
He stated that the Vice-Chancellor’s mandated leave was viewed as illegal and contrary to the statutes governing the university. He called for a collaborative approach to ensure harmony within the university, stressing that the institution’s success is vital for local economic development and employment opportunities.
The Regent of Sumbrungu, Aaron Abeerese, expressed the community’s determination to prevent the Vice-Chancellor from continuing his leadership.
He criticized the Vice-Chancellor for undermining the authority of the Bolgatanga Traditional Council and neglecting issues critical to the university and the community. Abeerese accused the Vice-Chancellor of mishandling funds intended to compensate farmers for land taken for a satellite campus in Aguusi 16 years ago.
Initially promised 2,000 Ghana cedis per plot, the agreement was reportedly breached, leading to further resentment among the community. In response to community claims, the GTEC Director-General maintained that it is unlawful to deny the Vice-Chancellor access to his office. He acknowledged the community’s grievances but insisted that a leader must maintain a good relationship with their constituents.
Prior to the protests, the Governing Council had received several petitions against the Vice-Chancellor from university staff, Sumbrungu residents, and the Bolgatanga Traditional Council. The Council intends to issue a communiqué regarding the findings of a committee reviewing these petitions in the near future.
Source:mywordfmonline.com/Gaspard Adongo Ayuureneeya.