KNUST Staff Push Back Against University's Official Line on Statutes Update
A group of staff at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has disputed the university's official account of the development of its new statutes. The staff, who include a professor and a deputy registrar, have challenged several aspects of the university's statement on the process and are calling for greater transparency and stakeholder engagement.
Committee Constitution Date Disputed
The university's management said in a statement that the Governing Council constituted a committee in March 2026 to prepare draft statutes for implementing the KNUST Act, 2025 (Act 1157). However, the staff members dispute this, saying the committee was actually constituted by the Academic Board in March 2025, not March 2026. They also argue that this committee, chaired by Professor Bugiri, was mandated to review both the proposed Act and the accompanying statutes before making recommendations for consideration.
Omissions in the Passage of the KNUST Act
The staff also disputed management's assertion that extensive consultations preceded the passage of the KNUST Act, 2025. They said there is no record of broad stakeholder consultations before the Act was passed, and that many members of the university community, including staff unions, only became aware of the legislation after it had already been passed by Parliament. According to the staff, the Act was not widely circulated for discussion before its passage, leading to concerns that key governance reforms were introduced without adequate participation from affected stakeholders.
Stakeholder Engagement Criticized
The staff also criticized the university's assertion that extensive stakeholder engagement had taken place before the draft statutes were circulated. They said many individuals submitted written memoranda but had yet to receive acknowledgements or feedback. One senior lecturer compared the process with Ghana's constitutional review exercise, which involved extensive public engagements across the country, arguing that KNUST could have adopted a similarly participatory approach.
Inadequate Time for Review
A major concern raised by staff relates to the period initially allocated for reviewing the draft statutes. The university community was first given only one week to review a document that had taken the committee more than 15 months to prepare. They described the timeframe as insufficient for meaningful scrutiny and consultation. Following concerns raised, the university extended the consultation period to eight weeks, allowing additional time for comments and recommendations.
Transparency and Trust
The staff members have expressed concern over reports that a recent "Mindset Transformation Workshop" for selected university officials could be perceived as an attempt to build support for the draft statutes while concerns raised by stakeholders remain unresolved. They warned that if concerns over transparency and consultation are not adequately addressed, mistrust within the university community could deepen. Management, however, has maintained that the review remains open, inclusive and consultative. The university said the draft statutes have not yet been approved and reaffirmed its commitment to engaging all relevant stakeholders before any final consideration by the Academic Board and the Governing Council.
The dispute between the university management and staff over the development of the new statutes highlights concerns over transparency and stakeholder engagement. As the review process continues, it remains to be seen whether the university will address the concerns raised by the staff and adopt a more participatory approach. The outcome of this dispute will have significant implications for the university community and may set a precedent for other institutions in Ghana.
Source: Joy Online
