By Stanley Kwabla Arku
Vice President of the Republic, Her Excellency Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has restated government’s resolve to safeguarding academic freedom and strengthening institutional autonomy across Africa’s higher education landscape.
Speaking on her behalf at the opening of the Continental Dialogue on Academic Freedom in Africa, organised by the Africa Coalition for Academic Freedom (ACAF) at the West African Genetic Medicine Centre (WAGMC), University of Ghana, Chief of Staff at the office of the Vice President, Alex Segbefia said government is ready to work hand in hand with academic staff associations to ensure that universities remain independent spaces for research, innovation, and the pursuit of truth.
“As a former Vice-Chancellor, I know firsthand the importance of protecting the university space from external interference. Government will continue to partner academic associations to strengthen institutional autonomy and promote democratic governance within our universities,” she stated.
The Vice President underscored that academic staff associations (ASAs) play a pivotal role in upholding intellectual freedom, improving working conditions, and advancing the quality of higher education across the continent. She called on these associations to engage in constructive dialogue with government, university management, and students to build consensus rather than confrontation in resolving challenges.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang also traced the history of the struggle for academic freedom in Africa, recalling milestones such as the Dar es Salaam Declaration (1990) and the Kampala Declaration (1990), which highlighted the role of academics in defending the autonomy of educational institutions.
Touching on Ghana’s experience, she reiterated her opposition to the 2018 Public University Bill, describing it as a legislative attempt that would have undermined the constitutional protection of academic freedom. “A bill that gives the President power to appoint and fire vice-chancellors or allows ministers to dictate university policy has no place in a democracy,” she recalled.
She commended the Africa Coalition for Academic Freedom (ACAF) for bringing together 44 academic staff associations from across the continent, describing the dialogue as timely and visionary.
“The lack of a continental body to represent the interests of academics before the African Union and its human rights bodies remains a major gap. ACAF’s efforts to bridge that gap is commendable and deserves full support,” the Vice President said.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang urged participants to focus on leadership development, policy advocacy, and democratisation of university systems to ensure that academic freedom continues to serve as a pillar of Africa’s democratic and developmental aspirations.
The three-day dialogue, themed “Safeguarding Academic Freedom in Africa: A Continental Dialogue for Collective Action,” brought together scholars, union leaders, and policymakers from across Africa to discuss strategies for promoting intellectual independence and university governance reforms.