GIJ Rector, Registrar ‘forced to proceed on leave’, one other demoted

Rector of the Ghana Institute of Journalism, Dr Wilberforce Dzisah, who resumed work on Thursday from his annual leave, has been ordered to proceed on leave with immediate effect, editors.3news.com can authoritatively report. Acting Deputy Rector, Dr. Ebow Afful, has been directed to go back his department, while the Registrar of the Institute, Perry K.K OFosu has also been ordered to go on leave. Head of Communication Department at the Institute, Dr. Modestus Fosu, has been directed to act in Dr. Dzisah’s stead, editors.3news.com can confirm. Though the two have outstanding leave days, sources say the recent decision directing the two management members to proceed on leave is part of a calculated attempt by the Governing Council of the Institute to oust them. Highly placed sources say the decision was taken Wednesday, January 31 at an emergency Council meeting in Accra. 3News has gathered Dr. Dzisah’s tenure ends in August 2018. On December 21, 2017, reports emerged Dr. Dzisah had been ordered to proceed on leave over alleged procurement infractions but the Institute later issued a statement to debunk the said reports. It explained at the time that Rector was rather taking a part of his annual leave from Wednesday, 27th December, 2017 to Thursday, 1st February, 2018 to “to allow for a smooth investigation of some concerns raised including academic integrity and procurement practices”. On resumption, however, Mr. Dzisah has been ordered, together with the Registrar, to go on leave by the Governing Council without being given a resumption date. Their leave letters were served on them Friday morning, sources close to the Institute told 3News. “We knew long ago that the plan was to remove the top three; starting from the rector and so they [the Governing Council] needed to use some mecahnisms to support whatever action they will take,” a highly placed source told 3News Friday. By Stephen Kwabena Effah|editors.3news.com|Ghana Follow @steviekgh_TV3