Accra: Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has called upon Academic Staff Associations (ASAs) across Africa to focus on leadership development within their public universities as a means to foster academic freedom and democratization. She emphasized that such initiatives could strengthen intellectual discourse and promote networking, collaboration, advocacy, and knowledge dissemination, as well as standards-setting and accreditation.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Vice President made these remarks at the inaugural Academic Freedom Conference in Ghana, organized by the Africa Coalition for Academic Freedom (ACAF) in collaboration with Scholars at Risk Network (SAR). The conference, themed 'Safeguarding Academic Freedom in Africa: A Continental Dialogue for Collective Action,' aimed to advance research and foster a culture of respect for academic freedom across the continent.
The Vice President highlighted the importance of constructive dialogue among ASAs to ensure that all stakeholders, including government, university management, and students, avoid conflicts in their perception of the university's mission and purpose. Mr. Alex Segbefia, Chief of Staff to the Vice President, delivered her speech and encouraged participants to view universities as critical watchdogs for promoting higher education and democratic enhancement in society.
He noted the absence of a continental body to represent academics' interests before the African Union and its human rights bodies, such as the African Commission and the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights. He commended ACAF for organizing the conference to address this gap.
Prof. Kwodwo Appiagyei-Atua, Regional Director of ACAF, explained that the three-day event aimed to assess the current state of academic freedom in each African country, share experiences, and identify challenges. He mentioned that the conference would serve as a platform for National Academic Staff Associations across Africa to form sub-regional groupings, ultimately leading to a continent-wide association.
The conference gathered 45 institutions, higher education policy experts, human rights advocates, and intellectuals involved in knowledge production and dissemination outside the university setting. Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, Minister for Education, underscored the responsibility of governments to value harmony and cooperation with academic staff unions. He emphasized the importance of recognizing them as vital components of university governance to protect institutional autonomy.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister, Mr. Saaka Sayitu from the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) highlighted Article 21(1)(b) of Ghana's Constitution, which directly recognizes academic freedom. He urged participants to engage in discussions and post-conference activities that would yield democratic and developmental benefits.