he Government of Ghana has launched an investigation into an alleged misspending of Gh¢27 million at the Bolgatanga Technical University (BTU) on furniture, air conditioners and computer accessories.
The country’s education minister, Haruna Iddrisu, directed the university’s governing council to begin the probe immediately.
He also said the government would involve some state investigative authorities, including the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), to provide backup to the governing council in the audit if required.
“When I arrived in Bolgatanga, my attention was drawn to the Bolgatanga Technical [University] of some contracts that were awarded around the period 2024 for furniture, computers and projectors amounting to some twenty-seven million.
“After my brief from the chairman, I’ve requested investigative bodies to be in full control of [the matter] and find out whether due, lawful procurement processes were complied with. One, whether there were instances of conflict of interest; and two, more importantly, whether value for money was guaranteed in those contracts,” he stated.
The minister made this known while delivering a speech at a graduation ceremony held at the St. John Bosco’s College of Education, a public institution located in the Upper East Region.
“I will refer this matter to the investigative authorities, either CHRAJ or EOCO or the police CID, to give me the full [report] on it, and government will act and act decisively on the recommendations of the committee if the council fails to unravel it. But the first instance is for the council to take ownership of the matter, probe into the matter because, as I said, we do not intend as a government to interfere with what happened.
“In truth, I wouldn’t know who the contract was awarded to. I understand it was awarded between June, July 2024. But what we want is value for money, because that is the best way to protect the taxpayer’s money. If computers are sold at this amount, plus or minus the profits, plus or minus the computer costs, must it be at a level where you would not be able to discuss how much they cost?” the minister added.
A prominent figure, who is widely rumoured to have supplied the items to the university at the stated amount amid conflict-of-interest concerns, was at the ceremony when the education minister spoke about the procurement issue.
Sources disclosed to Media Without Borders that the public figure owned the company that supplied the items but used the spouse as a front for the deal with the university. The individual in question is a national authority in the education sector and a nonmember of the university’s staff.
The author of this report requested information from the university about this deal about two weeks prior to the minister’s speech but has received no reply to date.
Listen to the statement made by the education minister below:Voice of Haruna Iddrisuon the procurement deal probe
Education minister on interference
In the weeks before the education minister ordered a probe into the procurement deal, the Director-General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTECT), Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, had come under public criticism for “interfering” in the affairs of the BTU’s governing council.
The alleged interference led to a continuing conflict between the university’s governing council and GTEC.
“Mr Director-General GTEC, when President Mahama said that he would uphold the true tenets of academic freedom, he meant it. We have no intention as a government to interfere with the management of any academic institution. The power is vested in the councils and your management,” emphasised the education minister at the graduation ceremony.
The GTEC Director-General sat next to the education minister at the event.
The conflict between the governing council and GTEC started after a circular from the council surfaced on Monday, 15 December 2025. It was addressed to the university community.
In it, the council announced that it had decided the university’s vice-chancellor, Prof. Samuel Erasmus Alnaa, should take his accumulated one-year leave, effective December 19, 2025, and ending December 18, 2026.
Signed by the council’s chairman, Dr Bishop Amigya-Bia Akolgo, the circular also stated that the university’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Peter Osei Boamah, had been appointed as Acting Vice-Chancellor from 19th December, 2025, until further notice.
The letter also said the Acting Registrar, Richard Abugre Atia, had been confirmed as substantive Registrar effective January 1, 2026. In a bid to turn things around, Jinapor wrote, directing the university’s governing council to suspend the decisions. He said the decisions were “potentially problematic” and could “create unforeseen negative consequences”.
The governing council, in response to his directive, issued another circular, affirming the decisions. Subsequently, Jinapor initiated a meeting on the matter with the council on the university’s main campus at Sumbrungu, a suburb of the Upper East Region’s capital, Bolgatanga, on Wednesday, 14 January 2026.
Some angry residents of Sumbrungu charged into the university and prevented the vice-chancellor from joining the meeting.
Accusing the vice-chancellor of disrespecting traditional authorities and diverting some funds meant for some indigenous farmers who leased their lands to the university, the residents chorused his removal from the institution.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Jinapor maintained that the council’s decisions were “illegal” and described the protesters as a small number.
His comment drew outrage from the residents, who, together with the regent of the community, Aaron Aberese, reaffirmed their resolve to bar the vice-chancellor from entering the university.
The vice-chancellor did not respond to request from this writer for his comment on the allegations levelled against him by the members of the community.
Media Without Borders will keep the public posted on the probe into the alleged Gh¢27 million procurement deal.
Source: Edward Adeti/Media Without Borders/mwbonline.org/Ghana/West Africa
