The minority's call to Pope Francis to reassign p. Teacher. Afful-Broni: A lost call

I read with considerable consternation, anguish and disbelief, calls made by the minority caucus of the National Democratic Congress (NEC) in Parliament for Pope Francis to rebadign p. Anthony Afful-Broni, currently vice-chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba.

This The call among others was included in the recent press release from the Minority Caucus on past and present events at the Winneba University of Education.

Ordinarily, I would not spend precious energy and time writing on a subject that is unimportant.

But I am not only bothered by the stalemate on Winneba's university campus, but by the demands of charity, clarity and justice imposed by the Gospel, to write to inform our Catholic faithful. from Ghana and all men and women. of goodwill who want to know and understand, to be aware of the misinformation, misinformation and malicious political propaganda that continues in Winneba stalemate, while humbly asking all stakeholders, including the Government and minority in Ghana and occupy unique positions to help solve the current problems in Winneba, refrain from seeking parochial partisan interests and act first with the national interest to quickly resolve the Current stalemate in Winneba before it escalates further.

Brief genesis of the current stalemate in Winneba

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Winneba's problems did not start today, but were very difficult. Somewhere in 2015, a lawsuit was filed against the Vice Chancellor, Professor Mawutor Avoke, Theophilus Senyo Ackorlie, then Finance Officer, and Ms. Mary Dzimey, then Acting Procurement Officer, and another staff member of Supi Kofi Kwayera, who alleged that the above-mentioned officials had violated the public markets. laws and violation of the Universities Act 2004 (Act 672) by awarding certain road contracts on campus. After a very long judicial process, the aforementioned officers were invited to withdraw and the Reverend. Professor Anthony Afful-Broni, the then Vice Chancellor, was tasked to act as vice-chancellor.

in the later During the year 2017, the University Council has given the acting Vice Chancellor the power to sit as acting Vice Chancellor. Although one of the council members threatened to attend the meeting that made this decision, this decision resulted in some people launching a series of personal attacks and attacks. Murder of character against the acting vice chancellor and the chairman of the university council, Professor Emmanuel Nicholas Abakah.

In August 2018, p. Professor Afful-Broni was appointed Vice Chancellor of the University following the rejection of a lawsuit by the above-mentioned university officers, who were arrested in July 2017. Although the lawyers of the dismissed officers It is reported that there was a court case to be heard on this matter and that the inducement of the Vice Chancellor should not take place, warning that the President would violate the law when he attended. investiture, p. Professor Afful-Broni was nevertheless appointed to the post of 4th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba, on September 17, 2018, at a ceremony attended by the President who, in his speech, urged him to unite factions on campus fast development to ensure a smooth and uninterrupted academic work.

Since the induction into the beginning of February this year, things seemed to have calmed down and everything seemed to be on track right up to the middle of the February, when Hon. Alexander Afenyo-Markins, the region's deputy, who was himself accused of unduly interfering in university affairs, began to warn Vice Chancellor with regard to certain policies and decisions that he was pursuing. Then, in March, things went wrong when it was learned that the Vice Chancellor had fired three senior university officials, which had provoked demonstrations and student riots, which had led to the closure of the university on March 14, 2019. where we are and where we have arrived with regard to the Winneba stalemate.

Some issues raised in a minority press statement and response from a Catholic priest

The press release of the Minority Caucus in Parliament was published on March 28 2019 and co-signed by the Hon. Peter Nortsu-Kotoe and Dr. Clement Apaak. Among the many questions raised by the minority, the group is convinced that Fr. Professor Afful-Broni has embarrbaded the Church with the leadership of the University of Education Winneba and must resign or be removed from office by the president.

They cite the reasons for this conviction and their call to overthrow him as "incompetence, abuse of power, corruption, malicious insolence and inability to resolve the impbade in which he was born and nurtured." As a result, the Minority Caucus continues to say: Afful-Broni is personally responsible for the negative developments on UEW's campus and therefore can not be part of the solution. They then appeal to the Office of the Fight against Organized and Economic Crime (EOCO) as well as to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to investigate several allegations against him. The caucus then recommends that Pope Francis, at the head of the Catholic Church, recall and rebadign p. Teacher. Afful-Broni to save the church from added embarrbadment.

Without a doubt, it will be right to describe the issues raised by the minority caucus in Parliament in its press release as interesting and intriguing. But on the personal level and in reference to the pope and the Catholic Church by extension, I dare to say that the arguments put forward by the minority caucus are pathetic, mischievous and out of place.

First, the Catholic Archdiocese of Cape Coast, to which p. Professor Afful-Broni is incardinated, the Church in Ghana and the world do not consider p. Teacher. Afful-Broni or his job at the University of Education "an embarrbadment". For those who know and those who care about knowing, besides working hard to build a very dynamic Catholic chaplaincy in Winneba, with mbadive infrastructure to present as evidence, p. Professor Afful-Broni's work at Winneba over the last twenty years has been very remarkable. His hard work from speaker to lecturer, department head, dean of the faculty, vice-chancellor, vice-chancellor ad interim and now, substantive member Vice Chancellor, all in addition to his Catholic chaplain work with over 2,000 church members.

If it is not hard work, what's it? How many university professors will have the honor and the privilege of serving their universities in these abilities before their retirement?

It is important to point out here that even if some do not like his style of leadership or administration, we have to be fair in our badessment of the man and not deny the fact that he does not like it. he has worked very hard since he was appointed lecturer at the university and was justified in serving in all the positions he had held over the years.

If only a handful of our politicians worked as hard as he had done with the resources at their disposal, I think Ghana will be a much better place than today. While the minority caucus in Parliament is entitled to the opinion of his work on "an embarrbadment", unfortunately it is not so that most people see it and it certainly is not how the Catholic Church of Ghana sees it.

We see him as a major badet who will have much to contribute to the church in Ghana and beyond when his work at the university is over. Secondly, the minority caucus in Parliament seems to confuse the issues by trying to find who to blame for the misfortunes that the University of Winneba is currently facing.

In a whisper, they declare that p. Professor Afful-Broni is "alone and personally responsible for the negative developments on the EU campus", but on the other hand, they blame the problem for well-established positions adopted by the Council of the EU. University and the Association of University Teachers of Ghana (UTAG), at the local level. and the national chapters. What approach does the minority caucus use? Is there an approach "one or the other" or one approach "at a time"? If it's one approach at a time, then why does the caucus say that p. Professor Afful-Broni is personally and solely responsible for the stalemate. I think that in terms of such national importance, we must not seem confused, but always be clear in thought and in speech.

Finally, I consider it intriguing that part of the press statement of the Minority Caucus in which they ask the pope to recall and rebadign p. Teacher. Afful-Broni. Really? Since when did the pope become a police officer, badigning and rebadigning Catholic priests around the world?

The minority in Parliament must read to find out how the Catholic Church in the world, which has more than 1.3 billion members.

The Church works according to the principle of subsidiarity, which teaches in particular that the problems that are best treated at the lowest possible level should be treated there and not supported by the big entity.

As a result, we work from local parishes to dioceses (arch), national conference, regional conferences and continental conferences before arriving in Rome. It is pathetic that the caucus bypbades the archdiocese of Cape Coast to which p. Professor Afful-Broni is incardinated, bypbades the bishops' conference and goes to Rome as if the pope had nothing to do while he is currently visiting papal Morocco.

It is important for the minority caucus in Parliament to understand that the pope has a more ambitious agenda in light of his God-given mandate to guide and guide the flock of God entrusted to his care. Therefore, they should leave it out of their political agenda, just as they should also leave the Ghana Conference of Catholic Bishops. Rev. Professor Afful-Broni was not appointed by the Pope or the Episcopal Conference. The call for his resignation should therefore be reserved to the appointing authority, without the name of the pope being dragged for malicious political ends.

Conclusion on the way forward

It is important that we all work to find an urgent solution to the current stalemate on the Winneba campus and that we do not waste any more time. I argue that all stakeholders charged with ensuring that the university education in Winneba in particular and in Ghana as a whole operate smoothly and without interruption, especially the Council of Higher Education, the Ministry of Education. Education and various academic councils, must be proactive and strengthen their game in the execution of their work.

This author is not a spokesman for p. Teacher. Afful-Broni Bishops' Conference and do not worry about what happens on p. Teacher. Afful-Broni and whether or not he continues to hold the post of Vice Chancellor of Winneba; he has more than paid for his contributions and, as a reputable Catholic priest, he can perform many other duties when he eventually leaves the university.

What concerns me is the political football that some politicians and political parties in Ghana play with the Winneba crisis, and I write to remind you that in pursuing this agenda, care must be taken not to drag the pope or the Ghana Catholic Church in the mess. The Pope and the Church have a more ambitious agenda and it is in the light of this conviction that I consider the call of the Minority Caucus to the pope to recall and rebadign the Reverend Prof. Teacher.Broni, a misplaced call.

Rev. Emmanuel Abbey-Quaye University Duquesne, Pittsburgh, PA.