Sex for grades: We won’t shield those indicted, says Ghana varsity

The University of Ghana (UG) says it will not shield any employee or student found to have engaged in sexual harassment or misconduct.

Reacting to a 13-minute documentary on sexual assault released by the BBC Africa Eye on Monday, Stella Amoa, the school’s director of public affairs, condemned the act, saying UG is against such.

Yaw Gyampo, a professor of political science, and Paul Butakor, a lecturer at the college of education, were seen soliciting sex from students in the documentary.

The university said the two lecturers would be invited by its anti-sexual harassment committee “in the next few days to assist with further investigations into the BBC documentary”, adding that no member of the institution is considered to be above the law.

“The University of Ghana’s attention has been drawn to a BBC documentary entitled ‘Sex for Grades’ Undercover in West African Universities fully aired in the evening of October 7. 2019,” the statement read.

“We would like to state unequivocally that the University place great importance on issues of sexual harassment and misconduct, and condemn any of such acts.

“Given that commitment, the Business and Executive Committee of the University has taken a decision to interdict Prof. Ransford Gyampo and Dr. Paul Kwame Butakor, the two lecturers featured in the documentary to allow for further investigations into the matter.

“While the University of Ghana believes sexual harassment is fundamentally about exploiting power imbalance and voicelessness, we also understand the harmful impact it has on individuals, families and institutions.

“It is for this reason that the University has taken steps to encourage students and employees to report any form of sexual harassment and misconduct and has also instituted measures to punish anyone found guilty of the offence.

“The University will prosecute the current matter under investigation in addition to all outstanding cases before the Committee.

“We would like to state emphatically that the University of Ghana does not and will not shield any employee or student found to have engaged in sexual harassment or misconduct. No member of the University is considered above the law.”

The institution said it will continue to actively fight against sexual harassment and other acts of indiscipline.

Earlier, Margaret Amoakohene, chairperson of the anti-sexual harassment committee, had said there is no evidence that the two lecturers slept with their alleged victims.

Gyampo had earlier vowed to sue the BBC over the documentary, saying it could not establish anything against him.