Accra: The Director-General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), Professor Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, has defended the Commission's directive barring key management staff of public tertiary institutions from holding positions in political parties. In a video sighted by GhanaWeb on August 18, 2026, he explained that the move seeks to protect the political neutrality and integrity of Ghana's public tertiary education system and prevent institutional leadership from becoming entangled in partisan politics.
According to Ghana Web, the GTEC has recently issued a statement cautioning heads of public tertiary institutions to ensure that key management staff, including vice chancellors, pro-vice chancellors, principals, vice principals, registrars, finance directors, and other directors, do not hold elected political offices. This measure aims to prevent these individuals from being elected as constituency party chairpersons and secretaries.
Professor Jinapor emphasized that GTEC intends to uphold its position and take legal steps to prevent senior management roles in tertiary institutions from being used for active partisan politics. He cited the case of Professor Samuel Awinkene Atintono, who serves as the NPP constituency chairman for Ododododio, as an example of what they consider unethical and immoral. He stressed the need to ensure that managerial levels in tertiary institutions do not become arenas for party political activities.
GTEC asserted that the measures are necessary to safeguard political neutrality, impartiality, and public confidence in the administration of public tertiary institutions.