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The embattled Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Legon, Professor Ernest Aryeetey has been re-appointed the chief executive of Ghana�s premier university, putting paid to speculations that he will be denied a second term following the hullaballoo generated by his controversial erection of a toll booth and subsequent tolling of the university�s roads. According to our usually reliable sources, government was caught flatfooted by the announcement that the economics professor�s term has been renewed when everybody believed that the erection of the controversial toll booth at the Okponglo junction of the campus (which became an impediment to the smooth flow of traffic on the ever busy Madina-Tetteh Quarshie road) was enough justification to remove him from office. However the renewal of his mandate which came as a shock has created an impression in academic circles that now the vice chancellors are free to run the university as they deem fit. According to the report, Aryeetey�s re-appointment was decided at the University Council�s meeting on Thursday March 27, 2014 amid reports that he has been courting some members of the University Council, led by Justice Dr. Date-Baah, to renew his contract. Our sources told us prior to the announcement of Aryeetey�s contract renewal that government was thinking of dissolving the University Council which would have paved way for a new vice chancellor who might not be as �defiant� as the current Legon head. However another source, obviously very angry with government pointed out that the professor has exposed how indecisive and weak government is when tackling some of these issues. �This government has told the man not to toll the roads as it was ready to pay the loan that the university said it took to rehabilitate the roads. All he has done is issue stickers to those who want to use the campus roads for a fee. What�s the difference between that and collecting toll fees from motorists who use the campus roads? �And to think that the decision to retain him happened at a time when there are so many agitations against the controversial tolling system with even some students actually going to court to challenge that decision. Some thought Aryeetey should not have been reappointed so that the issues could be dispassionately discussed and a mutually benefitting conclusion reached with the various public or stakeholders which include residents of surrounding areas who had to drive through the campus daily to either go to work or their various residences. �This man has become too big a fish for the government to swallow. The sequence of the road tolling has shown that he values his authority so much and has virtually created a republic within a republic, setting his own laws, defying the laws of the republic and even the Chief of Staff at the Presidency. Am ashamed at how government is powerless to bring him to order.� Under the University of Ghana Act 2010, Act 806 which spelt out that the Vice-Chancellor to be appointed by the University�s Council is answerable to the Council as its academic and administrative head and chief disciplinary officer of the University. According to the law, the vice chancellor holds office on the terms and a condition specified in the letter of appointment and ��shall hold office for a period of up to four years and is eligible for re-appointment for another term only.� On the terms of office of members of the Council, the law said, �a member of the University other than the Vice-Chancellor, who is a member of the Council shall hold office for a period of two years and is eligible for re-appointment for a second term�. It adds that �a member of the council, who is not a member of the University, shall hold office for a period of three years and is eligible for re-appointment for a second term�. According to a statement issued by the university a fortnight ago, the decision to toll the roads was discussed by the school�s Business and Executive Committee on February 26, 2014 and decided on restricting access through the use of stickers distributed to selected persons and this was approved by the Council of the University on 27th February 2014. This decision was communicated to the Minister of Roads and Highways and the Chief of Staff on February 28, 2014 by the University. According to the angry source, the fact that the policy statement was released to the general public on February 27 2014 a day before the Chief of Staff was notified showed the respect the vice chancellor has for the Presidency. Aside the Government-appointed Council Chairman, three others on the Council are Professor John Meyer Hyde, Mrs. Elizabeth Adabor and Prof. Robert Domingo Baeta, were appointed by government. Dr. Elsie Effah Kaufmann and Mr. Alfred Quartey were elected by convocation whiles those by appointment by the Council are J Klinogo, Richard Kwame Asante, Prof. Mahama Duwiejua, Mrs. Eileen Odartei-Laryea, and Dr. Max Price. There are nominations from Conference of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) represented by Samuel Ofori-Adjei, University of Ghana Alumni Association (UGAA) represented by Kwesi Yankey, Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG) represented by Joshua Bossman Ohene, Students Representative Council (SRC) represented by Edmond Kombat Biirbia. The rest are the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), represented by Dr. Langbong Bimi and finally Teachers and Education Workers Union (TEWU), represented by Augustine Saakuur-Karbo. It will be recalled that last month, the University decided to charge motorists tolls for using it roads. The move attracted public uproar, leading to Government through the Chief of Staff, Prosper Bani, saying it was prepared to settle a loan the university claimed it contracted from an unknown bank.