The former Vice-Chancellor of Ghana Communication Technology University, Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa, has filed an interlocutory injunction at the High Court, seeking to prevent the enforcement of a decision that ended his tenure.
The legal action is part of a larger suit in which Prof. Afoakwa is challenging the termination of his contract and asking the court to restrain the university and its governing authorities from interfering with his employment, duties, and benefits.
In an affidavit supporting the motion, Prof. Afoakwa contended that the decision to terminate his appointment was made without due process and violated his constitutional right to a fair hearing. “The arbitrary exercise of discretionary power by the defendants seeking to terminate the plaintiff’s contract of employment without hearing the plaintiff… is simply unlawful,” the affidavit stated.
He maintains that his contract, originally set to run from March 1, 2021, to February 28, 2025, was extended for a further four-year term from March 1, 2025, to February 28, 2029—a contract he formally accepted in August 2024. Letters dated February 3 and February 26, 2026, informing him of the cessation of his tenure and the appointment of another officer as Vice-Chancellor, form the basis of his challenge.
Prof. Afoakwa argues that he was not notified of any alleged breaches of contract, nor given the opportunity to respond before being directed to vacate office. He cited provisions under the Ghana Communication Technology University Act, 2020 (Act 1022), and Article 19(13) of the 1992 Constitution to assert that the termination was unlawful and of no legal effect.
Meanwhile, the university’s Governing Council has appointed Professor Ebenezer Malcolm, previously Acting Pro Vice-Chancellor, to serve in an acting capacity as Vice-Chancellor. A letter from Divine Kpetigo, Chairman of the Governing Council, instructed Prof. Malcolm to provide overall leadership and strategic supervision of the institution pending further directives.
Prof. Afoakwa, however, contends that the appointment is invalid, arguing that he has not been lawfully removed. His court application seeks to restrain the university from interfering with his employment and benefits until the substantive case is resolved.
He is also pursuing declarations that his removal was unlawful, damages for breach of contract and violation of his fundamental human rights, as well as court costs.
The High Court is expected to hear the case on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.
This legal battle highlights tensions between university governance authorities and executive leadership appointments, raising questions about procedural compliance and due process in Ghana’s higher education institutions.
