Ensuring Administrative Justice in the Governance of Public Universities in Ghana: What University Administrators Must Know

Abstract

Administrative justice encompasses matters of fairness in public service delivery
as well as unfair administrative procedures or decisions and the resultant adverse
effects on others. Public Administrators wield unfettered power so administrative
decisions and actions are subject to judicial review once a person alleges that he
or she is aggrieved as a result of administrative unfairness. Accordingly, some
administrative decisions or actions by Ghanaian Public University
Administrators found to be unfair or in contravention of statute or natural justice
are likely to be quashed by the courts. This often leads to judicial review of
administrative decisions and actions. However, internal adjudicating processes
must be exhausted first especially in the case of public universities in Ghana. This
is a position paper expressing experience-based opinion on the application of the
principles of natural justice in the workplace. Relevant decided cases have been
cited to enrich the discussions. Albeit the paper is specifically meant for the
consumption of University Administrators, it also generically applies to other
public administrators in Ghana. We, therefore, hope that the paper will not only
become an educative piece but also a reference material for Public
Administrators of all kinds.