By: Charles Bentum
STAFF UNREST is brewing at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) over a controversial plan to evict staff families from campus residences, a move that has sparked protests and drawn national attention.
Political analysts have warned that the planned evictions, if carried out, could harm the image of President John Dramani Mahama’s administration, painting it as out of touch with the struggles of ordinary workers.
The proposed action has raised fears about its potential impact on academic and administrative work. With lecturers, administrators, cleaners, and security staff among those affected, many fear that morale and productivity will plummet.
“If our families are thrown out, morale will collapse,” a lecturer said. At the heart of the staff’s frustration is a sense of misplaced priorities. While the eviction exercise is being fast-tracked, several critical infrastructure projects have stalled.
These include the UN Block renovation, the Graduate School building, the Executive Conference Centre, and ongoing GETFund initiatives.
The controversy has also brought governance issues at GIMPA into sharp focus. Some staff claim the current Council Chairman, Prof. Yaw Agyeman Badu, appointed by President Mahama and sworn in by Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu; may lack the independence to check the actions of Rector Prof. Samuel Bonsu. They cite a previous post-retirement contract Prof. Bonsu allegedly approved for him.
“The Chairman cannot challenge him. That’s why the Rector acts with impunity,” a source within the Council alleged.
Prof. Bonsu, once seen as a welcomed insider, is now being accused of autocratic leadership. “We thought he was one of us, but he has turned out worse,” a senior staff member said. Some describe him as “vindictive” and unwilling to forgive dissenting voices.
Labour unions on campus have begun mobilising to resist the move. “If this directive is carried out, the whole country will hear our cry,” warned a union leader.
With rising tensions, stakeholders are urging the Presidency to step in, calling for a halt to the evictions, a review of the Rector’s contract extension, and stronger protection of staff welfare.
“This matter has moved beyond GIMPA. It is now a test of national leadership,” a senior administrator added.
Source: Nationaltymes.com
