But the constitution also grants the president the power to appoint a national council for tertiary education to coordinate the functioning of the public universities.

The current government is attempting to circumvent a key aspect of these constitutional provisions meant to promote and protect academic freedom in its attempt to overhaul the running of the universities with a new Public University Bill.

A memorandum accompanying the bill states, in part, that it is designed to curb "grave improprieties in the utilisation of resources" in public universities.

Based on this claim, the bill seeks to grant the president the power to appoint the chancellors of all public universities.

The respected Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, in its memorandum to parliament, noted that among the effects of the draft bill will be:

The introduction of direct executive control over public universities, both as corporate bodies and as academic institutions, and

The constriction of space for differentiation among public universities, for innovation, and for the drive for excellence.