Make UG globally competitive institution – Edu. Minister
Minister of Education, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, has tasked the newly inaugurated governing council of the University of Ghana to work hard to restore the university to its status as a globally competitive institution.
He said it was unfortunate that, the UG which was once the topmost leading university on the continent and prestigious globally now is struggling to place seventh even on the continent.
“The President, John Dramani Mahama is not particularly excited that today the University of Ghana is rated the 7th best in Africa. And probably in the world, the university is struggling to get space even among the world’s first 600 universities. He thinks that you can work to improve the standing of the university,” he said.
Mr Iddrisu made the call when he inaugurated the governing council at a brief ceremony in his office in Accra on Friday.
The newly constituted council has the former Minister for Justice and Attorney General, and now Presidential Legal Advisor to the President, Marietta Agyeiwaa Brew as the Chair.
Other members are the Vice Chancellor of UG, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, Naa Dr Alhassan Andani, Dr Kwesi Amakye-Boateng, Ms Precious Kyei Bonsu, Dr Abdul Karim Hatsu, Ms Doris Kisiwa Ansah, Prof. Nana Akua Anyidoho, and Michael Owusu Ansah.
The rest are John Dadzie Mensah, Prof. Folassade Tolulope, Rev. Fr. Stephen Owusu Sekyere, Mr George Agyekum Donkor, Ms Tina Sackeyfio, Major Daniel Ablorh-Quarcoo (Rtd), Mrs Yvette Adounvo Atekpe, Dr Inusah Abdul-Nasiru, Maradona Adjei Yeboah, Bright Amansiah, and Benjamin Nkumsah.
The Minister said the call for the council to work assiduously to restore UG to its former glory was not to say that the university had not lived up to its calling.
He said even though government recognised that the university still remained an institution of excellence and pride, it was important that it was placed among its peers.
Mr Iddrisu also assured the council that the President and for that matter the government was going to live true ensuring academic freedom as guaranteed by the constitution.
“He will do true to what the constitutional guarantees academic freedoms are. What he expects you is to use it to train men and women who can stand the competitiveness of a competitive, fast-changing, complex, global world of work,” he stressed.
The Minister said government intended to operationalise the National Research Fund, stressing that “And accordingly, an amount of GH¢15 million has been allocated for the takeoff of the National Research Fund.
“I should be inaugurating this board and council in the next couple of weeks to support one of your areas of emphasis, research. And then also your affiliate institutions,” the Minister said
In her acceptance speech, the Council Chair, said the council would work hard to improvement the learning environment and continue with the progress made by their predecessor council.
She emphasised the point that the UG was the bedrock of academic excellence in the country and pledged to work with management in the spirit of commitment and visionary leadership.
BY CLIFF EKUFUL
