The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has ordered Professor Johnson Nyarko Boampong to step down from his role as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) because he has passed the mandatory retirement age of 60.
In a letter dated Friday, September 19, 2025, GTEC stated that Prof. Boampong’s stay in office contravenes Article 199(1) of the 1992 Constitution, which mandates retirement for public officers at age 60 unless otherwise specified.
“The Office of the Vice-Chancellor, being an office established under Section 7(1) of the University of Cape Coast Act, 1992 (PNDCL 278), is a public office under the meaning and intendment of Article 199(1). Hence, anyone acting in the office of the Vice-Chancellor is presumptively mandated to proceed on compulsory retirement upon attaining 60 years,” the letter emphasized.
Pending further developments, GTEC has directed Professor Denis Worlanyo Aheto, the current Pro-Vice-Chancellor, to serve as acting Vice-Chancellor. The Commission also acknowledged that the issue is currently under litigation at the Cape Coast High Court and has instructed the UCC Governing Council to suspend the process of appointing a substantive Vice-Chancellor until the court delivers its ruling.
