KNUST lecturer files lawsuit against Vice-Chancellor , Senior Management

Head of the Department of Architecture at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Professor Rexford Assasie Oppong has initiated legal action against the university's vice-chancellor and senior officials. 

The lawsuit revolves around claims of improper disciplinary processes and breaches of university rules. He is thus seeking an injunction to stop the enforcement of a recent directive issued by the vice-chancellor.

According to court documents, Prof. Oppong received a letter from the university's registrar on 23 March 2023, informing him of a petition filed by several senior department members which alleged several violations on his part, such as harassing and intimidating staff, making decisions without consulting the department board, disregarding postgraduate regulations set by the School of Graduate Studies, and disrupting mid-semester examinations held on 1 March 2023.

Prof. Oppong denies these accusations, arguing that the investigation process was flawed. He contends that the committee led by Professor I. K. Badu was formed in violation of the university's rules, which require a disciplinary committee for such matters, not a fact-finding committee.

He claims that his right to a fair hearing was violated as the committee failed to allow him to cross-examine the petitioners. Despite submitting oral and documentary evidence countering the claims, the committee continued with its investigation and submitted a report to the vice-chancellor.

The Professor argues in his lawsuit, filed on 19 September 2024 that the university's handling of the situation has damaged his professional reputation and that the procedural violations have caused him significant harm.

He is therefore requesting the court to nullify the actions of the fact-finding committee and block the implementation of the vice-chancellor's directive and an injunction to prevent any unauthorized individuals from holding public office positions.