The University of Cape Coast has held its annual matriculation ceremony to admit fresh students to pursue various undergraduate and postgraduate programmmes for the 2017/18 academic year. The ceremony, which grants them full rights and responsiblities as students of the University, also provides students with the opportunity to pledge their unalloyed allegiance to the University. Speaking at the ceremony, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, said the University admitted 5785 out of a total of 13,188 applicants.He said 5230 out of the number were undergraduate and 555 post graduate students respectively. Prof. Ampiah further pointed out that 3086, representing 59 per cent, of those admitted were males, whilst the females were 2144 (41 per cent). On post graduate students, he revealed that 361 ( 65 per cent) were males, while 194 (35 per cent) were females. The Vice-Chancellor urged the students to abide by the rules and regulations of the University, as well as appreciate and cherish its objectives and goals. He noted that the University was committed to helping them to achieve their dreams and advised them to eschew all forms of acts that would jeopardize their dreams on campus. " You have come to this institution to study and obtain a degree and it is not our desire to send any of you home without achieving this dream. We, as an institution are committed to helping you to achieve your dream. Do your part by studying hard," Prof. Ampiah said. He enjoined the students to tap into the wealth of knowledge of their lecturers and desist from all manner of examination malpractices. He challenged the students to exude the values of hard work, discipline, commitment and sacrifice since that would enable them to achieve academic excellence in the University. Prof. Ampiah entreated the students to exhibit positive attitudes in life and always believe in themselves. " I entreat you all to have positive attitude in life and always believe in yourself ", he concluded.  

The School of Medical Sciences (SMS) in partnership with the Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy (DRIC) has held a one-day workshop on Grantsmanship. Speaking at the workshop, a Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) Visiting Scholar, Dr. Olumayokun Olajide, from the University of Huddersfield, UK, said there were two of types of research, which include Research Grant and Research Fellowship. He said majority of young researchers, looking for post doctoral opportunities, prefer research fellowship to research grant. Sharing his personal experience, he advised young researchers to keep their research proposal focused and tailor their proposed research to the funding bodies' area of interests. Dr. Olajide enjoined researchers to be persuasive in their research grant application to enable the funding bodies to dole out grants to them. “Make sure it grabs the attention of the relevance of your work. Make sure the research proposal forms a coherent story”, he added. During research work, he urged researchers to put in much details to convince reviewers that they are experts in their field and have thoroughly thought through their proposal. He said a generic structure of a proposal must include; abstract, problem statement, project purpose, research design applicant qualifications, evaluation plans, budget and appendix.  

Five students from the School of Agriculture are set to construct a modern for the people of Duakor, a fishing community in the Central Region. They are Messrs Osei Emmanuel, Danso Tony and Godswill Hygienus Miss. The rest are Miss Adeisu Diana Vigah and Miss Adjoa Owusuwaa. The gesture formed part of a seed capital of GH¢ 10,000 the students won during the 2017 Community Service Project initiated by the Osei- Kusi Foundation (OKF) and Selfless for Africa. Out of the amount, the students will use GH 7,000.00 to build the modern fish smoking device. Usually, fishmongers in the Duakro community use firewood to process fish and indulged in unhygienic fish handling and post-harvest practices. Additionally, this method of processing fish has dire health implications for the fishmongers. It is against this backdrop that the students, led by the Provost of the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, Prof. L.K Sam Amoah, paid a visit to the Chief of Duakro, Togbe Ahiadu Ayivi II, at his Palace. During the meeting, Mr. Danso Tony, who spoke on behalf of the students, briefed the Chief about the project and requested a plot to construct the machine. According to him, the high-powered machine would prevent fish processors from inhaling smoke and also safeguard their health. The Dean of the School of Agriculture, Prof. Elvis Bediako, called for collaboration of the fishmongers to make the project a success and pleaded with them to embrace the new technology to improve on their health. For his part, Togbe Ahiadu Ayivi expressed gratitude to the students for the gesture of goodwill. He was of the firm assurance that a plot would be zoned to enable the students to put up the device. It would be recalled that the students represented the University at a Community Service Project Award in 2017 at the Accra International Conference Center. At the end of the fiercely contested competition, the students won the community project. For their prize, the students were presented with a seed capital of 10,000 Cedis to build a modern fish smoking device for fish mongers in a community called Duakro, near Cape Coast in the Central region. Present at the meeting were Dr. Francis Kumi, a lecturer at the School and the College Registrar, Mrs. Mildred Asmah.  

The Provost of the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences of the University of Cape Coast, Professor Livingstone Kobina Sam-Amoah, has asked chiefs in the country to have development plans to elevate their communities out of poverty. According to him, chiefs must be initiators of development projects. Speaking at a public lecture at Assorku in the Shama District of the Western Region to commemorate the one year anniversary of the chief of Assorko, Nana Brekrom II, Prof. Sam-Amoah, who is also the Provost at the College of Agricultural and Natural Sciences at the University of Cape Coast, noted that chiefs are in a position to demand corporate social responsibility projects to improve the living standards of their people. He said “there is no company or organization that will operate in a community without getting land from the chiefs. In return, chiefs could demand for corporate social responsibility projects that will elevate the status of their people. When the sources of livelihood of the people are developed, it brings relief to the people, in the area of financial liberation. Our chiefs must encourage companies in their operational areas to invest in social intervention programs. That will help our communities to develop”. Prof Sam-Amoah believes chiefs are important stakeholders to drive development in communities even though they are not as powerful as they used to be. He encouraged all chiefs to emulate the steps taken by Nana Brekrom II, who has written a book outlining his vision for Assorkorman. The book titled: “Doing our part for the community we aspire” is a 24 page simplified masterpiece which spells out how traditional leaders can rethink and envision their communities. “It’s a step in the right direction which we will encourage our chiefs to emulate. It helps avoid disjointed courses of development for communities, and also deals with the loss of vision when one leader passes on to eternity. I am impressed with the step Nana Brekrom II has taken to follow the path of his predecessor Nana Brekrom I”. Prof. Sam-Amoah observed. Among topics in the book are “a look through my own eye: my ten inspirations, the makeup of the community we aspire, the bits and parts to play, the time we must give ourselves, the new mindset, and what we stand to lose if we fail to develop”. Credit:citifmonline.com