Day: November 25, 2023

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has emphasised the importance for the Government and other stakeholders in education to create an enabling environment and entrepreneurial avenues in Ghana for young university graduates to stay and work.

He said the current situation where energetic young Ghanaian graduates were compelled to move in droves to seek greener pastures abroad, posed a serious threat to the future of the country.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu said human migration was not inherently negative but the current situation where professionals like nurses, doctors, and teachers left for promising opportunities abroad was a challenge.

‘It is equally critical to know that if this phenomenon remains unchecked, it poses a huge threat to our future generations. The departure of our potential leaders who should be actively contributing to the growth and development of our country raises a challenge,’ he said.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu, also the Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST),
said this in an address to climax the 57th Congregation of the University, graced by Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

‘We must collectively work to transform our country into an entire strong and compelling nation for our youth to stay and work,’ he said.

‘To achieve this, it is important for the Government and stakeholders in education to embark on innovative strategies aimed at creating an effective environment and entrepreneurial avenues to facilitate job creation to help retain our young graduates.’

Otumfuo Osei Tutu implored all stakeholders to aggressively continue the fight against illegal mining activities in the country.

‘Whenever I speak, I am compelled to denounce this disruptive practice of ‘galamsey,’ though the Government has achieved some level of success, but it is still a problem that has created severe damage to our lands and water bodies.’

‘Not too long ago, I am sure you all heard what I did to people from my kingdom who were involved in illegal mining activities.’

‘I would like t
he Government to reciprocate this action to restore the country’s natural resources.’

Vice President Dr Bawumia said the digitisation agenda, which the Government was aggressively pursuing, was the way to go to transform the nation.?

He said from December this year, newborn babies would receive their Ghana cards at birth.

The Vice President said the Government would continue to improve teaching and learning, especially in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

He commended the KNUST for its leadership role in science and technology education, adding the Government would work to ensure the early completion of the University Teaching Hospital to enhance practical education and training in health.

Professor Mrs Rita Akosua Dickson, Vice Chancellor of KNUST, said a total of 17,437 students graduated this year.

Out of that number, 13,170 were undergraduates and 4,267 were post-graduate students.

She said the University would continue to play its role effectively to train the needed h
uman resources in engineering, health, science, technology and other areas to speed up the nation’s development.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Professor Eric Yirenkyi Danquah, the Director of the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), University of Ghana, has been appointed as an Inaugural Board Member of the Science and Impact Advisory Group of the newly launched UK-CGIAR Centre.

This was in a statement issued by WACCI and copied to the Ghana News Agency.

On November 20, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the launch of the UK-CGIAR Centre at the Global Food Security Summit in London, an event hosted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation.

‘I am honoured to be appointed as one of the inaugural members of the Science and Impact Advisory Group of the new Centre,’ Prof Danquah stated.

The UK-CGIAR aims to support global food security by bringing together scientists from the UK and the CGIAR to form impact-focused research collaborations.

The UK-CGIAR Centre Science and Impact Advisory Group provides advice on the Centre’s strategic direction and offers independent assessment and opi
nion on project proposals elicited from project partners by the Secretariat on behalf of the Centre.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin, has called for the inculcation of values and ethics in the pursuit of academic knowledge, describing it as equally vital.

‘In our pursuit of knowledge, let us not forget the values that underpin a just and compassionate society,’ he said.

Mr Bagbin said this when Professor Sam K. Afrane, the President of the Christian Service University College (CSUC), Kumasi, led a delegation to call on him in Parliament House as part of the School’s 50th anniversary celebration.

Members of the delegation included Mr Andrew Kingsley Doku, Registrar, CSUC; Pastor Samuel Eduamah; Reverend Justice Boffah Poku Mensah; the Director of Institutional Advancement Office and Public Affairs.

The visit was also to foster a stronger partnership with Parliament and explore avenues for collaboration in the realisation of its critical institutional projects as it marked 50 years of academic excellence.

It was also an opportunity to formally invite the Speaker to the School’s grand anniversa
ry durbar in September 2024.

Recognising the role of faith-based academic institutions in nation-building, particularly in the area of quality human resource development, Mr Bagbin urged the College not to relent in its efforts to influence society through sound doctrine.

Prof Afrane, in his remarks, commended the Speaker for his dynamic leadership in the promotion of Parliamentary democratic ideals in Ghana.

He mentioned four institutional projects in the area of installation of solar energy, the youth leadership development scholarship scheme, the acquisition of a 32-seater bus for the Nursing and Midwifery Department, and the upgrade of Information Technology infrastructure to enhance teaching, learning, and research.

Prof Afrane was optimistic that the successful implementation of the key projects would transform the institution and position it as a citadel of ethical and transformational leadership in societal advancement.

Recounting some achievements of the College, Prof Afrane mentioned that the U
niversity College had been adjudged the third in a nationwide licensure examination for three conservative years, by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

He also mentioned prominent alumni from the University, such as Prof Emmanuel Asante, former Chairman of the National Peace Council; Rt Rev Prof Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante, the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana; Mr Erastus Asare Donkor, the 2023 Journalist of the Year, (Multimedia Group); Mr Kennedy Kwasi Kankam, a former Member of Parliament for Nhyiaeso and the Municipal Chief Executive Asokore Mampong and among others.

The CSUC, a liberal arts evangelical institution, based in Kumasi, has impacted the socio-economic development of Ghana for the past 50 years.

The University College began in January 1974 as a merger of two groups, the Ghanaian interdenominational evangelical institution and the expatriate missionaries. The first residential class which started with five students had since grown to become a reputable non-denominational Christian
University College in Kumasi, Ghana.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Madam Margreet Carpay, Director of the Lumen Mundi School for Special Children in the Builsa North Municipality of the Upper East Region, has called on individuals and organisations to support the school to help improve the welfare of the children.

The school, established by the Lumen Mundi Foundation, Netherlands is mainly for children with mental or physical disabilities and also has a workshop that trains people on various technical skills, ranging from carpentry, welding, painting, and fashion design, among others.

It is thus seeking the support of individuals and organisations to donate clothes, food, books, or any financial support to help facilitate its operations and contribute to the general welfare of the children and the actualisation of their potential.

The Director made the appeal through the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of a donation exercise including food, soap, and diapers, among other items, by the Anglican Diocesan Development and Relief Organisation to mark World Children`s Day.

M
adam Carpay noted that the difference between these children and any other person was the assumption of normalcy, but the children with special needs also had the potential to realise their dreams and aspirations when they were given the needed care and support.

‘Just as ADDRO has given us this massive support, and I must say we are most grateful, individuals and other organisations can also come to our aid by providing us with books, clothes, or even empty aluminium cans for us to use in our practicals.

‘I came to Ghana as a volunteer with the Ghana Education Service and was asked by the Siniesi chief to start a special needs school. Special needs children have my heart, and I love to work with them, so with your support, we can well establish an accommodation for these children, which we are missing now,’ she added.

Mr Amoak Asumbisa Richard Squealla, Administrator, Lumen Mundi Foundation Ghana, reiterated that some of the children who were capable of acquiring skills would be given the needed training s
o that after school they would have something to do.

‘These children have challenges, and we are on the lookout to not risk their lives; however, those capable of acquiring technical skills would be given the needed support to impact their lives positively because these children are hardly accepted in our communities because they are seen as burdens,’ he stated.

He added that the workshop was open to people who had an interest in acquiring any of the skills being offered and encouraged the youth to take advantage of the opportunities.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Twenty-three students of the West African Centre for Water, Irrigation and Sustainable Agriculture (WACWISA)-University for Development Studies (UDS), from seven African countries, have graduated with various degrees during the university’s 24th congregation, held in Tamale.

They included two PhD, and 21 Master’s Degree students from Benin, DR Congo, Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria Rwanda, and Uganda.

The graduation ceremony was graced by Professor Ahmed Abdulai Jinapor, Acting Director-General of Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), Mr Rurangwa Theophile, Deputy High Commissioner of Rwanda to Ghana, Alhaji Shani Alhassan Saibu, Northern Regional Minister, and Mr Yidana Zakaria, North East Regional Minister.

Professor Felix Kofi Abagale, Director of WACWISA-UDS, interacting with the graduates after the ceremony, expressed excitement at their feat, saying WACWISA was proud working with them, and supporting human capacity development.

Professor Abagale encouraged the graduates not to relent on their efforts
in innovation and research, aimed at supporting and contributing to addressing challenges associated with agriculture, climate change, food security and development in Africa.

Whilst thanking the staff of WACWISA as well as the various university stakeholders for their continued support, Professor Abagale expressed appreciation to funding agencies, partners and collaborators of the Centre, including the Government of Ghana, World Bank, Association of African Universities, GTEC, Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UNIDO, EU, GIZ, IRD/AFD, JICA amongst others.

He underscored the need to strengthen the collaborations and further support for research and capacity building.

With funding support from the World Bank and the Government of Ghana, WACWISA was established in 2019 by the UDS as a semi-autonomous Centre of Excellence to undertake cutting-edge research and training in irrigation, drainage, water resources management, sustainable agriculture, climate change and food and nutrition security.

The Centre, w
hose tagline is ‘Building Capacities for Sustainable Solutions’ has since provided scholarships to more than 100 scholars for Master’s and PhD studies as well as trained over 500 individuals in the form of short courses and facilitating access to modern laboratory and field research facilities for the conduct of cutting-edge research in its thematic areas.

Source: Ghana News Agency