The University of Cape Coast (UCC) has inducted a new Vice Chancellor and a Registrar into office with a call on the university to bring innovative programmes and policies to meet emerging challenges in the educational sector.
The new Vice Chancellor, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong took over from Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah while Mr Jeff Teye Onyame assumed office as the new Registrar after taking over from the immediate past Registrar, John Kofi Nyan.
With the investiture, Prof. Boampong and Mr Onyame become the 12th Vice Chancellor and 13th Registrar to lead the University of Cape Coast respectively.
The Chancellor of UCC, Dr Sir Sam Jonah, who made the call, explained that, with the emergence of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and its effect, tertiary educational institutions would have no option but to adjust to the changing trends.
International student enrollment, he said, had witnessed a downward trend for some time now and said, tertiary educational institutions would have to rise to the occasion.
Dr Jonah commended the immediate past Vice Chancellor for an outstanding work during his tenure.
He said Prof. Ampiah before exiting the office of the Vice Chancellor demonstrated his commitment to the development and expansion of human capital within the institution.
The new team, he said, was to carry out the unfinished work of the former administration in promoting the expansion of the institution.
Dr Jonah urged the new Vice Chancellor and his administration not to fall into the trap of denigrating the work of the previous administration since that would not help in the development of the university.
The new Vice Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Boampong, in his address, called for support from all stakeholders towards fulfilling the mission and vision of the founding fathers.
He paid tribute to past leaders of the institution who he noted, laid a solid foundation for the growth of the university, saying, “I am pleased to be part of people who will be building on the foundation laid by my predecessors.”
He stated that, his vision was to work towards transforming UCC into an entrepreneurial university and explained that, the university was capable of doing so.
“There is an emerging trend and a global systemic shift towards the concept of Entrepreneurial Universities. The concept of Entrepreneurial Universities within the higher education landscape is therefore not new” he said.
He further said: “But what makes this emerging concept significant and appealing to me, particularly within these uncertain times, is how the COVID-19 pandemic has called to question existing paradigms, and, is attempting to redirect our focus to novel ways of doing things.”
Prof. Boampong said that, his administration would be more committed to resource academic and non-academic staff as well as students, to undertake relevant research and then demand from them enhanced productivity, and ensure translations of research findings to solve problems that confront Ghana and the rest of mankind.
In his address, the Minister of State in-charge of Tertiary Education, in his message, Prof. Kwesi Yankah, stated the need for tertiary institutions in the country to put in place strategies needed to address the challenges within the education sector.
He stated that, the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic had brought to the fore, the need to have the right content of education, right human resources and the right leadership to navigate the challenges of the time.
Prof. Yankah indicated that, one critical thing needed was astute leadership to steer institutions from the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan, for his part, urged the management of UCC to put in place proactive measures to ensure peace and security on campus.
The immediate past Vice Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, in his address, expressed appreciation to staff and students for believing in him and said, he learnt a lot during his stay in office.
He indicated that, with support from management and staff, he was able to chart a path for the university, saying, “With your support, I was able to achieve much during the past four years.”
From David O. Yarboi-Tetteh, Cape Coast
