The Regional Maritime University (RMU) at Nungua near Tema, has constituted an Anti-Sexual Harassment Committee on campus with Pro-Vice Chancellor (VC) Mr Jethro W. Brooks Jnr, as head.
The six-member committee, according to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Elvis Nyarko was expected to present its report in December, detailing the best measures to tackle sexual harassment issues at the RMU.
Speaking at the 17th matriculation ceremony held in Accra on Saturday, Professor Nyarko said, the move comes on the back of the recent ‘Sex for Grades’ documentary by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) which indicted some university lecturers for engaging in illicit activities with female students in exchange for grades.
“The issue of sexual harassment is being given serious attention as an institution and the university frowns on such acts and steps are being taken to tackle them from all fronts,” he stated.
Towards this end, Professor Nyarko said lecturers and administrative staff owe students a duty to mould them into responsible adults and must render their services to students professionally and on merit without any strings attached.
He also advised female students not to tempt male lecturers into engaging in amorous activities but rather focus on their studies.
“I want to advise female students to work hard towards achieving their long-held aspirations and refrain from acts of self-advertisement with the view to obtaining undeserved favours from staff or other male students,” he stated.
The VC added that, “desist from ‘dressing to kill’ so as to become too conspicuous to males with wicked sexual intentions.”
To earn a degree in the University, he said students must be disciplined and also work hard as the RMU was governed by rules which served as margins of everybody’s freedom.
Professor Nyarko appealed to government to set up a special scholarship scheme to support young women who take up sea-going programmes and other maritime related programmes in the university.
This, he said, would go a long way to compliment the university’s efforts of encouraging females into taking up sea-going programmes, which has achieved significant results.
In all, 577 students including 54 postgraduates and 523 undergraduates with 465 as males and 112 as females have been admitted into the university.
The occasion was also used to honour continuing students on the Dean’s List which was a compilation of students who obtained a Cumulative Grade Point Average of at least 3.60 or above.
BY MICHAEL D. ABAYATEYE
