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Amnesty International Ghana has stated that their May 4, 2018 press statement about human rights abuses at the University of Education Winneba (UEW) was without malice or not meant to tarnish the image of the institution.

The statement, which was captioned ‘Culture of Fear and Silence Brewing at the University of Education’, was only intended to bring to light reported human rights issues that needed the attention of various stakeholders in the country.

A release dated June 1, 2018 and signed by Mr Robert Akoto Amafo, the Director of Amnesty International Ghana, said “we recorgnise that the statement, in its language and presentation, did not fully meet our international procedural standards and therefore wish to withdraw it on this basis.”

“Amnesty International Ghana will continue to monitor the situation at the UEW,” Mr Amafo stated.

Background

It would be recalled that on May 4, 2018, Amnesty International Ghana called a press conference proceedings of which were published on the front page of the DAILY HERITAGE captioned ‘Amnesty International Takes on UEW Over Blatant Human Rights Abuses’, where it raises red flag on human rights abuses in the institution.

On May 8, 2018, the Member of Parliament for Effutu in the Central Region, Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin,  rubbished the claims by Amnesty International Ghana, describing it as disappointing.

This followed a press conference organised by UEW on May 8 and published by the DAILY HERITAGE, captioned ‘UEW Vice Chancellor, Amnesty Intl face off over alleged human rights abuses’, where UEW reacted to claims of blatant human rights abuses against some staff members of the university.