The punitive action initiated by GTEC on September 19, 2025, was going to see all services withdrawn with immediate effect, including not processing any request from the UCC in respect of accreditation, salaries (government subventions), GETFund support, Book and Research Allowances, Post Retirement Contracts, Financial Clearance for Recruitment, and any other related requests.
GTEC in a letter dated September 24, 2025, has informed the UCC that it was restoring all services following compliance with its directive.
The letter addressed to the Registrar of the UCC, a copy of which has been seen by Graphic Online, was signed by the Acting Director of Corporate Affairs of GTEC, Jerry Sarfo, on behalf of the Director-General of GTEC.
It stated: “Following the evidence provided by the Registrar of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), complying with the directive issued by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) on the 19th of September 2025, as well as Prof. Johnson Boampong taking the case in court, GTEC, with immediate effect, restores all services that were earlier withdrawn to UCC.
“Please be informed that the University of Cape Coast (UCC) has been put back on the GTEC website as a fully accredited institution.
“We are grateful to the Registrar and management of UCC for their cooperation during the period,” it added.
UCC to run to a halt – 70,000 Students, 4000 staff to bear GTEC brunt
The impasse between the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Professor Johnson Nyarko Boampong, and the Ghana Tertiary Education (GTEC) was going to disrupt academic and administrative activities, potentially affecting more than 70,000 students and 4,000 staff, reports Shirley Asiedu Addo and Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson.
When Graphic Online visited the UCC campus on Tuesday [Sept 23, 2025], workers were going about their normal duties; however, sources indicated that the punitive measures taken by GTEC had already taken effect, jeopardising the university’s plans and activities, both in the short term and for the foreseeable future.
At the heart of the dispute was a directive by GTEC for Prof. Boampong to proceed on retirement, as, in the wisdom of the commission, the Vice-Chancellor had reached the compulsory retirement age of 60, and should retire in line with Article 199 (1) of the Constitution.
However, Prof. Boampong insists that the extension of his contract for a further two years from August 1, 2024, to July 31, 2026, was in accordance with the UCC Statute and Article 199 (4) of the Constitution.
Legal framework
According to regulation 8.2 of the University of Cape Coast Statute, “the Vice-Chancellor shall hold office for an initial term of four years.
The appointment may be renewed for a further term of up to three years if that is not beyond the statutory retiring age of 60.”
Article 199 (1) of the Constitution stipulates that “A public officer shall, except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, retire from the public service on attaining the age of sixty years.”
Clause (4) adds that “Notwithstanding clause (1) of this article, a public officer who has retired from the public service after attaining the age of sixty years may, where the exigencies of the service require, be engaged for a limited period of not more than two years at a time but not exceeding five years in all and upon such other terms and conditions as the appointing authority shall determine.”
Impasse escalates
The impasse was further escalated when GTEC imposed punitive measures on UCC after its earlier directive for Prof. Boampong to proceed on retirement fell on deaf ears, virtually delisting the university from public universities, and rendering it “non-existent”.
