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A group identified as the Association of Former Female Students Alumni has dragged the University of Ghana (UG) to the World Bank, USAID, European Union other donors of the university for still harbouring Professor Ransford Gyampo despite several claims of sexual harassment against him.
According to the Old female students of Legon, the International Organisations’ continuous funding of an institution that harbours and promotes individuals indicted for sexual impropriety constitutes a breach of their own internal policies.
The association is calling on “United States Agency for International Development (USAID), European Union (EU) Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Wellcome Trust National Institutes of Health (NIH) & CDC Carnegie Corporation of New York Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Chinese Ministry of Education (Hanban) DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) KAAD (Catholic Academic Exchange Service) Toyota Ghana” to invoke their safeguarding clauses to suspend all grants, endowments, and financial aid to the University of Ghana immediately.
The Old female student of Legon boldly asserted that the suspension must remain in effect until the University administration permanently revokes the appointment and professorship of Prof. Ransford Gyampo of the Political Science Department.
The Old female student detailed in their statement that, “In 2019, the BBC Africa Eye documentary titled ‘Sex for Grades’ exposed a systemic culture of sexual harassment at the University of Ghana. Prof. Ransford Gyampo was captured on video making numerous sexually suggestive comments to an undercover journalist posing as a student, and explicitly proposing marriage in exchange for academic mentorship, a classic case of quid pro quo harassment and abuse of power.
Despite the video evidence and the subsequent suspension, Prof. Gyampo has been reinstated and promoted to the rank of full Professor. This action by the University sends a dangerous signal: that the sexual objectification of students is a surmountable career hurdle rather than a termination-worthy offence.
By retaining and promoting Prof. Gyampo, the University of Ghana has failed to protect its female student population, thereby creating a hostile learning environment. This failure makes the University non-compliant with the ethical codes of conduct required by international donors”.
They further highlighted that the ‘Sex for Grades’ exposé was a cry for help from the silent victims of academic predators.
Their statement added, “His indictment in the BBC Africa Eye ‘Sex for Grades’ exposé, coupled with the University’s failure to apply commensurate punitive measures, stands in direct violation of the global standards of safety, gender equity, and human rights that your organisations purport to uphold.
The “Sex for Grades” documentary was not merely a news item; it was a cry for help from the silent victims of academic predators. By continuing to finance the University of Ghana while Prof. Gyampo remains in post, you are inadvertently funding the very power structures that oppress female students.
We urge you to stand on the right side of history, uphold your own policies, and protect the dignity of the Ghanaian woman”.
In related news, Ghanaian actress Ama K. Abebrese has fired shots at the John Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.
The renowned actress has said no serious country will appoint men with a documented history of sexual harassment.
Ama K Abebrese condemned the appointment of men who sexually assault women to key leadership positions by the John Mahama government.
According to her, the Mahama government, in placing those men with a documented history of sexual harassment and assault, sends a bad signal that misconduct against women can even get people rewarded in government.
In a post shared on social media, Ama K Abebrese wrote, “There is no serious country that will appoint men who have a documented history and allegations of sexual assault/sexual harassment against females to high governmental positions. It sends the message that men can abuse females and be rewarded. Do Better Ghana,” she wrote.
Her post comes following the recent appointment of Kwasi Kyei Darkwah as Ghana’s Special Envoy to the Caribbean Region and also Professor Ransford Gyampo as Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers Authority.
See the post below: