Quit Party Executive Roles or Leave Public Office- GTEC to Tertiary Institution Officials

The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has directed public officers in tertiary institutions who hold executive positions in political parties to resign from those party roles or risk being removed from their public offices.

In a statement issued in Accra and signed by the Deputy Director-General, Prof. Augustine Ocloo, GTEC instructed governing councils and management of all tertiary education institutions to ensure full compliance with the directive.

The order affects senior officials including vice-chancellors, principals, pro vice-chancellors, vice-principals, registrars, directors of finance, deans, heads of department, and other senior managers.

According to the Commission, the directive is grounded in Section 26 of the Political Parties Act, 2000 (Act 574), which prohibits chiefs and public officers from canvassing for or against a political party or candidate. GTEC said the law is intended to prevent actual or perceived conflicts between official responsibilities and partisan interests, and to safeguard the neutrality and integrity of the public service.

The statement also cited the position of the Public Services Commission that public officers who wish to engage in active party politics or accept executive positions in political parties must first relinquish their public office in accordance with constitutional and statutory provisions.

GTEC said this while expressing worry over reports that some institutional leaders and senior managers continue to serve as political party executives while holding public office.

The Commission noted that the practice undermines the principles of political neutrality, impartiality and public confidence expected of leaders in Ghana’s public tertiary education system.

“As institutions within Ghana’s public tertiary education system, it is imperative that institutional leaders uphold the principles of political neutrality, impartiality, and public confidence in the administration of higher education,” the statement said.

GTEC added that it trusts all institutions will continue to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and political neutrality in discharging their statutory mandates to ensure the effective and efficient management of tertiary education institutions in the country.

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