The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has directed public officials in tertiary institutions who simultaneously occupy political party executive positions to choose between their public appointments and partisan roles.

The Commission has instructed governing councils and management of tertiary education institutions to ensure that all affected officials comply with the law by either stepping down from political party positions or relinquishing their public offices.

In a statement issued in Accra and signed by GTEC’s Deputy Director-General, Prof. Augustine Ocloo, the directive applies to senior officials including vice-chancellors, principals, pro vice-chancellors, vice-principals, registrars, directors of finance, deans, heads of department and other leadership personnel within tertiary institutions.

GTEC said the directive is in line with legal provisions aimed at maintaining political neutrality and preventing conflicts of interest among public officials.

The Commission referred heads of tertiary institutions to Section 26 of the Political Parties Act, 2000 (Act 574), which states that a chief or public officer must not engage in activities to promote or oppose a political party or a candidate in a public election.

According to GTEC, public officers are restricted from holding executive positions in political parties to protect the integrity, neutrality and professionalism of the public service.

“These provisions are intended to safeguard the neutrality and integrity of the public service and to prevent situations that may give rise to actual or perceived conflicts between official responsibilities and partisan political interests,” the statement said.

The Commission also cited the position of the Public Services Commission, which maintains that public officers who wish to actively participate in party politics or take up executive positions within political parties must first resign from their public roles.

GTEC warned that public officers occupying leadership positions in tertiary institutions cannot continue to serve as political party executives while holding government appointments.

It expressed concern over reports that some institutional leaders and senior managers were still occupying party executive positions while serving in public offices.

According to the Commission, such practices could undermine political neutrality, impartiality and public trust in the management of Ghana’s public tertiary education system.

“As institutions within Ghana’s public tertiary education system, it is imperative that institutional leaders uphold the principles of political neutrality, impartiality, and public confidence in the administration of higher education,” GTEC stated.

The Commission urged all tertiary institutions to maintain high standards of professionalism, integrity and neutrality in carrying out their responsibilities to ensure effective administration and management of higher education in Ghana.