A former President of the Student Representative Council (SRC) of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Joseph Osei Mensah, has threatened to sue the institute in court.
Mr. Mensah has accused GIMPA of failing to implement some recommendations made by a committee tasked to investigate him after he was accused of embezzling funds.
According to the GIMPA SRC President for the 2018/19 academic year, he and his executive board were accused by the then Dean of Students, Prof. Anthony Mawuli Sallar, of embezzling GH₵70,000 prior to the end of their tenure in office and as a result, withheld his certificate with the news widely circulated and published in the media but failed to publish same when he was exonerated by the ad-hoc committee.
The other affected executive members of the 2018/19 group included Kwadwo Yeboah Darkwah – Vice President, Felix Kwasi Donkor – Treasurer, Jeffred Okoe Aryeetey – Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ashaley Djanie – Finance Committee Chairman, and Bright Ayi Junior – Social & Planning Committee Chairman.
Mr. Osei Mensah narrated that after his vilification, the succeeding SRC administration of 2019/2020 independently investigated the happenings, with an outcome vindicative that the erstwhile administration properly and transparently handed over an audited account.
The student’s leadership as a result, issued a press statement on February 4, 2020, to clear the former SRC president of the allegations stating that the SRC’s financials were intact and there was no embezzlement as reported by the then dean of students, Prof. Sallar.
However, management was unsatisfied and, as a result, set up a committee led by Prof. Philip Osei Duku, the then Deputy Rector with other members being the then secretary of the Institute, Julius Atukpui retired, Dr. Lord Yevugah Mawuko, head of the department for public school, James Abrah, Director of Finance, and Charity Hayford, secretary to the committee to probe the issue further.
After three months of investigations, the committee submitted its report in August 2020.
The outcome also exonerated the accused and recommended the immediate release of all withheld academic certificates, payment of some GH₵16,717 as outstanding due to their tenure of administration, as well as a publication of retraction and apology to clear their names of the unfortunate news reportage.
Speaking to Mr. Osei Mensah Joseph, popularly known as OMJ, he bemoaned the feet-dragging tactics by the management of GIMPA saying, “It is important to note that the recommendations as captured in the committee’s report, was further tabled at the Central Administration Committee of the institute, chaired by then Rector, Prof. Phillip Bondzi-Simpson and was further affirmed, which gave the Secretary of the Institute the green light to proceed with the full implementation of the committee’s recommendations. Unfortunately, close to almost a three-year run on this matter, the management of GIMPA has failed to faithfully carry up the full implementation of the recommendations.”
With this backdrop, he has threatened court action against the institution for libel and denigration if management fails to act swiftly as directed by its independent committee, three years on.
He added that after persistent calls by his lawyers, the institute, only on the 18th of August 2022, released a sum of GH₵16,717 outstanding which was due to the SRC administration under his tenure, as recommended. This gives a sharp contrast against the claims as alleged by the Dean of Students, to begin with.
“I and the other executives have been very much affected by these baseless accusations. Of course, it is a good feeling to have our certificates released immediately after the last sitting of the committee, and now payment of outstanding monies made. Nonetheless, I place a premium on a good name and not riches,” he noted.
“Unfortunately, management, by all indications, has refused to publish the retraction and apology, which was the final recommendation to be implemented from their own committee’s report. This, I find as a total disregard to us the persons involved. Hence, a court action might be the next option within the shortest possible time,” the former SRC President reiterated.
Mr. Mensah further tabled some of the challenges faced and surmounted by his administration but only to be dealt with unfairly.
“We were an administration who came, gave up everything we had, and sometimes went beyond our reach amid financial difficulties to ensure we delivered on our mandate to the students.”
He continued, “We most of the time had to find alternative means of funding certain projects and programs approved by the General Assembly (i.e., the highest decision-making body), mainly because the Dean of Students who by practice, happened to be co-signatory to the SRC bank account, wouldn’t cooperate and countersign cheques meant for approved programs if we did not kowtow to his dictates.”
“We are touted as one of the best, if not the best, in the history of the GIMPA SRC administration. Our pro-activeness, the dedicated and hardworking people God gifted my administration made that possible.” He said.