A major accountability crisis has erupted at the Ghana Communication Technology University (GCTU), where the Governance, Accountability and Transparency Forum (GATF) has released damning evidence of widespread financial mismanagement, inflated procurement, and regulatory negligence. The revelations, contained in Press Release No. 13, point to a systemic breakdown in governance under the leadership of Vice Chancellor Prof. Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa and the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) led by Dr. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai.
Hundreds of Millions Spent — But No Development to Show
GATF reports that over the past eight to nine years, GCTU has generated an estimated GHS 700 million, yet the university’s infrastructure remains stagnant:
- Lecture halls lack basic fans and bulbs
- Computer labs are described as “toy-level” and incapable of supporting serious academic work
- Students use their own association dues to build the only functional computer lab
- Postgraduate and research facilities remain nonexistent
- Abandoned buildings and decaying structures litter the campuses
Despite these conditions, the Vice Chancellor continues to tout “infrastructure development,” which GATF describes as a façade masking financial diversion.
Inflated Costs and Suspicious Procurement
One of the most alarming examples is the GHS 2.4 million spent on electrical wiring for an eight-storey building—without any itemized breakdown. Minor renovations such as toilets, walls, and gates reportedly cost disproportionately high amounts, raising red flags of:
- Cost padding
- Contractor favoritism
- Weak procurement controls
- Lack of competitive tendering
GATF argues that these patterns are consistent with public sector procurement abuse.
Lavish Spending by the Vice Chancellor
The report details extravagant expenditures on travel and personal benefits:
- GHS 51,000 monthly rent paid to the VC despite the university already furnishing his private residence
- Frequent flights to his hometown and other destinations
- University vehicles driven long distances for his personal errands
- Over GHS 1.1 million in per diem allowances for selected staff
- Multiple international trips costing over GHS 300,000 in airline tickets alone
GATF describes this as gross abuse of privilege and a betrayal of public trust.
Regulatory Failure Under GTEC
Perhaps the most troubling revelation is the alleged complicity of the regulator. Under Dr. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, GTEC is accused of:
- Failing to publish audit reports
- Ignoring complaints and whistleblower submissions
- Allowing questionable procurement practices to continue
- Providing no visible oversight or intervention
GATF argues that this constitutes regulatory capture, where the regulator protects the institution instead of the public interest.
Academic Quality at Risk
The consequences extend far beyond finances. GATF warns that the university’s academic mission is collapsing:
- Research output is declining
- Talented faculty are leaving
- Students lack practical training
- GCTU’s credibility as a technology university is eroding
“A technology university without laboratories is not a technology university,” the statement reads. “It is a classroom complex with branding.”
GATF Issues Non-Negotiable Demands
The Forum is calling for immediate national action, including:
- Removal of the GTEC Director-General
- Removal of the GCTU Vice Chancellor
- Independent forensic audit of all finances and procurement
- Publication of all hidden audit reports
- Parliamentary or CHRAJ investigation
- Reallocation of funds to research labs, computing infrastructure, and academic facilities
GATF warns that if authorities fail to act, they will release additional financial documents and evidence “nationally and internationally.”
A National Education Crisis
The statement concludes with a stark warning:
“When hundreds of millions are spent but classrooms remain poor, labs remain empty, and audits remain hidden, the problem is not funding. The problem is accountability.”
GATF is urging the President, Parliament, the Ministry of Education, and all state oversight bodies to treat this as a national emergency affecting the integrity of Ghana’s entire tertiary education system.
Source:GATF – Governance, Accountability and Transparency Forum
