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2023 Eid al-Fitr prayers

Muslim Chaplaincy Performs Eid al-Fitr on Campus

24 Apr, 2023 By DIS

The Muslim Chaplaincy of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) marked the end of this year’s Holy Month of Ramadan with the performance of the Eid al-Fitr prayers at the car park of the Valco Trust Graduate Hall.

The Muslim Chaplaincy is a composition of all Muslim staff and students of the University Community under the leadership of Alhaji Prof. Issahaku Adam.

Imam Mubarak Iddrisu leading the Eid al-Fitr prayers

The Imam of the Eid al-Fitr congregation, Mubarak Iddrisu prayed for the University Community and admonished all Muslims to continue the good deeds, actions, habits, and manners exhibited in the holy month of Ramadan, and eschew actions that are in variance with the provisions of Islam.

On behalf of the Vice-Chancellor and the Management of UCC, the Chairman of the Chaplaincy Committee; Rev. Prof. Kankam Boadu in a goodwill message with the worshipers praised the peaceful coexistence of Muslims and Christians on Campus.

Chairman of the Chaplaincy Committee, Rev. Prof. Kankam Boadu with some leaders of the Muslim Chaplaincy

He called for collaborative arrangements amongst all Chaplaincies to enhance religious activities in the University. He further advised the Muslim community to support the University in its efforts to continuously maintain peace and harmony among staff and students.

The Muslim Community shared pleasantries, food, gifts, amongst themselves after the Eid al-Fitr prayers to climax the celebrations.

Prof. Ernest Teye

Prof. Ernest Teye

Prof. Ernest Teye Selected as Expert Advisor to FAO and IAEA

An Associate professor of the Department of Agricultural Engineering, Prof. Ernest Teye, has been selected as an expert advisor by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency of the United Nations (Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture).

As part of his role, Prof. Teye would provide rapid screening for safe food using novel screening technologies for the detection of food safety.

Prof. Teye will support the two organisations to design a research project on rapid, reliable, quick, sensitive, in-situ and high-throughput untargeted/targeted nuclear and related techniques to support analytical food control programmes.

Also, his responsibilities cover supporting food safety laboratories in member states of the FAO and the IAEA; assessing potential food safety challenges rapidly and effectively and identifying proper testing to ensure food safety to consumers worldwide.

Prof. Teye was privileged to participate in an event organised at IAEA’s laboratories in Seibersdorf, Vienna Austria from 26th September to 30th September, 2022, with the objective of developing new CRP on; ‘cost-effective nuclear techniques for responding to food contamination during emergency’.

 

Staff Spotlight
inaugural_lecture_-_prof._samuel_awuah-nyamekye_-_website.png
Date/Time/Duration
Thursday, May 4, 2023 - 2:30pm
Venue/Location
School of Medical Sciences Auditorium
Chairperson
Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong
Speaker
Prof. Samuel Awuah-Nyamekye

BIODATA

Prof. Samuel Awuah-Nyamekye is a Professor of Religion and Environment in the Department of Religion and Human Values at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana. Aside this, Prof Awuah-Nyamekye’s professional expertise includes Environmental Ethics, Religion and Development, Religion and Medicine and Religion and Politics.

Prof. Awuah-Nyamekye was appointed as an Assistant Lecturer in 2003 to the Department of Religion and Human Values in the University of Cape Coast. He was upgraded to Lecturer in 2005 and promoted to the rank of Senior Lecturer in 2010, Associate Professor in 2014 and  Professor in 2019.

He has written and published two books, co-edited two others, one book review and two encyclopaedia entries. He has authored 23 articles in internationally esteemed scholarly journals and 15 book chapters. He has presented academic papers at several international conferences some of which were at, USA, UK, Israel, and The Netherlands.

Prof. Awuah-Nyamekye has successfully supervised two PhD students, one of them is now a Senior Lecturer and currently in the process of applying for promotion to the rank of Association Professor. Currently, he has 7 PhD students under him and many of them are about completing while others are at different stages of completing their programmes.

Prof. Awuah-Nyamekye encourages colleagues to engage in collaborative research. He demonstrated this by publishing four articles with 4 different Lecturers in his Department.

He is the immediate past Head of the Department of Religion and Human Values at the University of Cape Coast. Prior to this appointment, Prof. Awuah-Nyamekye served as Academic Advisor to students in his Department for several years and served as Departmental Registration and Examination Officer for two consecutive terms.

Prof. Awuah-Nyamekye was appointed the Head of Department of his Department in 2015 and by the time of leaving office as the HoD in 2021, all the lecturers in the Department had attained their terminal degrees (i.e., PhDs).

It is worthy to note that it was during his tenure as the HOD that the Department had the highest number of PhD students completing their programmes. For instance, history was made in this university when in a single day, 3 PhD viva voces involving Hon. Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Himid, Rev. Sis. Dr. Matilda Alice Nsiah, the current HOD of the Department, and Dr Vincent Assanful were done. In the case of Dr Vincent Assanful, Prof Awuah-Nyamekye happened to be the principal supervisor.

Again, it was during Prof. Awuah-Nyamekye’s term of office as HoD that a Memorandum of understanding was signed to link the Department of Religion and Human Values to the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. Some of the benefits of this partnership are that two years ago, one student from the Department went to the University of Groningen on an exchange programme. Prof Kocku von Stuckrad of the University of Groningen also visited our Department to organise a week long workshop for our post-graduate students in 2017.

In addition, as a result of this collaboration, a full sponsorship was secured from the University of Groningen in 2019 to organise the First ever, Five-Day (January 21 to 25) Winter/New Year School programme at UCC, an event which attracted participants from seven (7) countries. The theme for the Winter/New Year School was titled: Religion and Human Security in Africa.

At the end of his term as the HoD in 2021, the Vice Chancellor appointed him to head the Department of Classics and Philosophy for one academic year.

Prof. Awuah-Nyamekye is a member of the Association for the Study of Literature and Environment (ASLE) and the International Society for Environmental Ethics (ISEE) Representative for Ghana. He is also a member of the International Association for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture. In addition, he serves on the Advisory Board of Counterpoint: Navigating Knowledge, an interdisciplinary research centre and information hub based in Berlin, Germany. He also serves on the Advisory Board of the Cambridge Scholars Publishers in the UK.

He has been the Chairman of the Faculty of Arts Research, Publications and Grant Sourcing Committee since 2019. He has also been the Course Coordinator, for Environmental Ethics, Religion and Environment and African religion and Health Management for the Institute of Education of the University of Cape Coast since 2020. He in addition, serves as the course coordinator for Religion and Environment for the Centre for Distance Education (Code) of the University of Cape Coast.

He is currently serving as the Editor-in-Chief of three Journals in the Faculty of Arts of the University of Cape Coast:

  1. Asemka,
  2. Drumspeak and
  3. Oguaa Journal of Religion and Human Values.

He has been serving as reviewer for several academic journals across the globe. Notable among them are:

  1. Politics and Religion, 2023-
  2. Climate and Development, 2022 to Date
  3. Religion Compass, 2021 to Date
  4. Ghana Journal of Education, 2020 to Date
  5. Journal of Theology for Southern Africa, 2020 to Date
  6. Sage Open, 2019 to Date
  7. Journal of Biodiversity Management and Forestry, 2019 to Date
  8. Journal for the Study of Religions (JSR) , 2016 to Date
  9. Legon Journal of the Humanities,    2015 to Date
  10. Worldviews: Global Religions, Culture and Ecology, 2014 to Date
  11. Community Development Journal, 2013 to Date
  12. African Journal of History and Culture, 2012 to Date
  13. Africa Today, 2012 to Date

His scholarship extends to reviewing and assessing project proposals from reputable organisations and publishing houses outside Ghana. For instance, in 2021, he received a request from the Swiss National Science Foundation to review a project proposal submitted to it under the title: ‘Religion as a lever in times of global warming? Religious communities’ climate change perceptions and activities in the sub-Saharan Africa (Religious climate)’.

Again, last year, the Bloomsbury Publishing house requested him to review a book proposal titled: Handbook of Schools and Religion. All these reviews were successfully executed.

Prof. Awuah-Nyamekye has on many occasions served as an External Assessor for PhD Theses, promotion to the ranks of Senior Lecturer and Associate Professor both in Ghana and outside Ghana.

He has been the University of Cape Coast Representative on the Governing Council of West End University College at Kasoa since 2016. Prof. Awuah-Nyamekye is also University of Cape Coast Representative on the Governing Council of SDA College of Education at Asokore, Koforidua. He has on many occasions, represented the Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast to confer degrees on graduating students of the Affiliated University Colleges at their congregation ceremonies. He was a member of the Ad hoc Committee that drafted the UCC’s Policy for naming of UCC Monuments.

As regards other extension services, he was a Board Member of the National Commission on Culture from 2009 to 2012 and was the Chairman of the Education Sub-Committee of the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) Municipal Assembly and Member of the Finance Committee of the same Assembly. He was the teacher’s Representative on the Board of Governors of the Edinaman Senior High School from 2001 to 2003.

Prof. Awuah-Nyamekye was privileged to be among the few Africans, in fact, the only Ghanaian, who was invited to submit a paper in honour of the late cerebrated African scholar, Philosopher cum Theologian, Emeritus Prof. J.S. Mbiti of Kenya. The title of his paper was ‘Climate change and insecurities’.

In June, 2013, Prof Awuah-Nyamekye’s abstract to his paper titled: Between Rhetoric and Reality: Post-Independence African Governments’ Attitude to Indigenous Ecological Knowledge – Case study from Ghana won the best abstract award worth $500.00 at the Tenth Biennial Conference of the Association for the Study of Literature and Environment (ASLE) under the theme: Changing Nature: Migration, Energies, Limits, University of Kansas, USA. This paper was later transformed into an edited book with the title: Between rhetoric and reality: The state and use of indigenous knowledge in post-colonial Africa published in 2015.

And in 2014, Prof Awuah-Nyamekye was one of the three African experts in Religion and Environment nominated to attend a workshop under the theme: Environmental change and African Societies in Essen, Germany. The paper he presented at this workshop was titled ‘Climate change and indigenous Akan religio-cultural practices: Lessons for policy-makers and implementers in environmental conservation in Ghana’

Prof. Samuel Awuah-Nyamekye was born on 25th January 1962 at Biadan near Berekum to the late Daniel Dartey (aka Sie Kofi) and the late Mercy Akosua Kraa (aka Maame Mercy) all of Biadan.

He began his education at the Biadan Methodist School near Berekum. He had his secondary education at Berekum and Dormaa Secondary schools. He was trained as a teacher in 1988 at the Berekum Training College, now Berekum College of Education. After teaching for 2 years at the Berekum Training College Demonstration Junior Secondary School, he wrote his A-Level examinations (privately) and gained admission into the University of Cape Coast for his BA and Dip.ED. in 1991. He did his National Service in his Department in the 1996/97 academic year. He enrolled for his M.Phil.degree and completed in 2002.

Prof. Awuah-Nyamekye was awarded Ghana government’s scholarship to pursue his PhD programme at the School of Philosophy, Religion and the History of Science of the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom in 2010. While at Leeds, he was awarded the prestigious Professor Adrian Hastings’ African Scholar Award for his academic excellence, an award with a cash prize of 6000 pound sterling and a laptop computer. While at the University of Leeds, he was appointed as African Ambassador by University of Leeds African Studies Centre (LUCAS). The purpose of this appointment was to take him to primary schools to give talk to the pupils in the primaryschools to disabuse their minds on the negative perceptions on the African. This appointment took him to 3 different primary schools in the city of Leeds.

Prof. Awuah-Nyamekye also has a certificate in HIV/AIDS Counselling and Care Giving from the University of Ghana in 2004.

Prof. Awuah-Nyamekye is married to Madam Joyce Effah with whom he has 5 children, and 3 other children from his previous marriage. In all, he has 4 handsome sons and 4 beautiful daughters with 4 grandchildren.

The Nexus between Religion and Environment: Matters Arising

ABSTRACT

The link between religion and environment or ecology can be said to be as old as humanity and one will be right to argue that those in the area of study are familiar with this link but that cannot be said of those outside it. I personally experienced this fact when I enrolled at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom in 2010 to pursue my PhD in Religion and Environment. At the first meeting of all post graduate students of the Department, each was to introduce him-/herself and his or her programme of study.

When it came to my turn and I said my area of study was Religion and Environment, the facial expression with which some other students received this information betrayed their lack of awareness of any connection between religion and the environment.  But when I started explaining it then they came to understand what I meant because they started nodding their heads indicating that they knew something about the link but were unconscious of it.

This has always been the case whenever I have been asked about my area of research. What this simply means is that although this field of study has been there for over five decades it still seems not to have won people’s appeal as an area worth researching into. It, therefore, behoves on scholars in the field to make people understand the relationship between religion and the environment, and how crucial it is for a research work and sustainable development.

This lecture then, while reminding us of some of the relationship religion has with the environment, will dwell especially on humans’ actions and inactions towards the environment, giving that human beings are the practitioners of religion. The lecture also looks at how religion can be used to address some of the ecological challenges the world is facing today.

The theory underlying the link between religion and environment is that an individual’s interaction with the ecosystem is often conditioned by religio-cultural beliefs and practices

Although research has shown that religion has a role to play in salvaging nature, some scholars are of the view that the ecological values/attitude of some religious traditionsparticularly, traditional African religion is more based on fear or respect for ancestral spirits than on respect for nature itself. Thus, scholars need to re-examine religious people’s attitudes to nature if religion is to re-emerge as a stronger environmental force in today’s global village. Much as this concern is true to some extent, the argument here is that whether the environmental values in religious beliefs and practices are fortuitous or not, the bottom line is that religion if managed well, can play a key role in salvaging nature and thus, we must take note of this fact if we are to holistically confront the environmental challenges of today.

In this lecture, the three dominant religions in Ghana, namely; African Traditional Religion, Christianity and Islam will be used to guide the discussions

 

 

Inaugural Lecture
The Vice-Chancellor and CEO of AAC exchanging the signed MoU

UCC, Asian African Consortium Sign MoU to boost Rice and Legume Production in Ghana

21 Apr, 2023 By DIS

The Asian African Consortium (AAC), a subsidiary of Jospong Group of Companies has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Cape Coast (UCC) to undertake research to boost rice, maize and soyabeans production in the country.

The MoU focuses on a collaborative frame work between UCC and AAC to deepen research for social change in order to solve the challenges facing economic growth and development.

Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer of AAC, Mrs. Adelaide Araba Siaw- Agyepong, noted that the agreement would facilitate ACC’s collaboration with UCC researchers to develop nutritious and high yielding crops.

The Vice-Chancellor, Johnson Nyarko Boampong exchanging the signed MoU with the CEO of ACC, Mrs. Adelaide Brew Siaw-Agyepong.

In addition, Mrs. Siaw-Agyepong said the collaboration would lead to the establishment of a research and development consortium comprising experts from business, crop science, technology, agriculture engineering, chemical engineering as a standing committee to advise on the full value chain in rice, maize, soyabean and the production of other staples.

CEO of AAC, Mrs. Adelaide Siaw-Agyepong speaking at the signing ceremony

Through the collaboration, she indicated that, seed and a seedling centre would be established for commercial production of quality seedlings of rice for sale to farmers to expand production.

Mrs. Siaw-Agyepong further explained that AAC’s and UCC integrated rice project would lead to mass production of rice for local consumption and export.

“The integrated rice project is to make Ghana self-sufficient in rice production resulting in significant economic benefit for the country,” she stressed.

Mrs. Siaw-Ageypong, was optimistic that UCC’s rich research background in rice production would propel the collaboration to create employment and promote economic growth for the country through export.

She was hopeful that the agreement would open more avenues to strengthen the collaborations between the two institutions.

In his remarks at the ceremony, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong noted that the agreement was in line with the University’s vison of training entrepreneurs to create jobs.

“We also focus on empowering our students with competencies of the 21st Century to succeed in life and this collaboration will go a long way to achieve this vision” he added.

Vice-Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong delivering his address

Prof. Boampong said the University would continue to provide the needed expertise to help the agreement materialise.

He added that the University had acquired more than 400 acres of land for commercial agriculture which would be very useful for the collaboration.

The Vice-Chancellor of UCC was worried that the country’s resources and vast arable lands were not highly utilised to ensure food sufficiency and to boost economic growth.

“It is very sad that Ghanaians have to import from other countries to feed ourselves yet there are countries with no arable lands who have found ways to produce food locally and even export” he lamented.

The Executive Chairman of Jospong Group, Dr. Joseph Siaw-Agyepong, in a brief remark noted that agriculture and research must go hand in hand to ensure that the country derives its full benefits.

Executive CEO of Jospong Group of Companies, Mr. Joseph Siaw-Agyepong

He noted that rice is now a staple food in Ghana and initiatives must be taken to produce quality and the needed quantity of grains backed by research which cannot be achieved without the academia.

Mr. Siaw-Agyepong encouraged the University to develop rice varieties and seedlings that can withstand the agro-ecological conditions in Ghana as well as produce the needed yields for maximum benefits.

“We have the knowledge and resources to see this through, therefore you have no excuse not to perform” he reminded the academia.

Present at the ceremony were the Registrar, Mr. Jeff Teye Onyame; Provost, College of Distance Education, Prof. Anokye Mohammed Adam; Head of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology; Prof. Aaron Tettey Asare; Prof. Ernest Teye of the Department of Agricultural Engineering; Head of Information Technology and Research Support, Sam Jonah, Library Mr. Kwame Boohene; Dr. Edward Nii Amar Amarteifio of the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Enterprise and Head of Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr. Daniel Yeboah Mensah.

Background

In 2023, Asian African Consortium entered into partnership with major rice industry players in Thailand and Ghana to develop an integrated rice farming project. This move by Jospong Group stemmed from the government’s decision to boost the economy through import substitution.

A core team later visited Thailand for the Ghana-Thailand Business conference in March 2023 with researchers from various universities in Ghana as well as major players in the rice industry.

It is on record that Ghana spent over GH¢6.8billion (equivalent to US$560million at current market rates) importing rice, a grain that can be produced locally.

While total rice consumption stood at 1.4 million metric tonnes in 2022, imports valued at US$560 million accounted for 800,000 metric tonnes (mt) of the consumption figure, with domestic production catering for the remaining demand – according to data from IDH Sustainable Trade, a foundation headquartered in The Netherlands.

Similarly, according to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, between 2010 and 2020 the country’s rice imports hit a staggering US$8billion. This, in addition to imports of other food items that can be produced locally, has been a major source of concern for stakeholders.

Department of Education and Psychology Builds Capacity of Cape Coast School for the Deaf and Blind Teachers

21 Apr, 2023 By DIS

The Department of Education and Psychology, University of Cape Coast, as part of its role in implementing series of training for teachers in the Adopt the Low Achieving School Project (ALASP) has built the capacities of teachers at the Cape Coast School for the Deaf and Blind.

The ALASP project was instituted by the College of Education Studies as part of its corporate social responsibility in supporting the academic achievement of selected Basic schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis. 

In line with the Department of Education and Psychology’s activities for the first semester of the 2022/2023 academic year, a parental talk for was organised for parents on 25th February, 2023.

The workshop was dubbed “Adopt the Low Achieving School Project [ALASP]” training series on “Teaching Methodologies and Means of Obtaining Effective Teaching and Learning Classroom Environment”. The Head of Department, Prof. Mark Owusu Amponsah and some members of the Department were present at the training.

The key presenters were Prof. Emmanuel Kofi Gyimah, Prof. Irene Vanderpuye and Dr. Martha-Pearl Okai. The teachers were encouraged to identify the needs of the learners before settling on the methodology to adopt or adapt for effective lessons. Prof. Gyimah made known to the teachers the need to enhance their knowledge and skills in appropriate pedagogies in order to have great impact on learners’ performance.

Prof. Irene Vanderpuye, in her presentation called on the teachers to practice reflective teaching. Dr. Martha-Pearl Okai urged the teachers to recognise Gender Equality and Social Inclusive Pedagogy as one of the key aspects of ensuring an effective teaching and learning classroom environment.

The Head teacher of Cape Coast School for the Deaf and Blind, Mr. Abraham Annang Yemoson expressed his appreciation to the Department and called for frequent refresher training for his staff.

Students at the meeting

Management interacts with students

14 Apr, 2023 By DIS
Management of the University of Cape Coast has held a consultative meeting with students.
 
The engagement was to find at firsthand their challenges and also build consensus  on issues of mutual interest.
 
In addition, the meeting was to explain policies and decisions of the University to the students.
 
 
A student interacting with the management
 
 
The meeting discussed issues of accommodation, internet connectivity on campus, late proposal defense,resit,  lecture halls, late release of results, among others.
 
The SRC president, Latif Lawrence Jorhowie, as well as GRASAG president, Adam Achire, read their reports.
 
Students had the opportunity to ask  questions, which were addressed by management.
 
In his address to the students, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong, described students as  key stakeholders for the forward match of the University.
 
He praised them for their comportment throughout the semester and encouraged them to acquit themselves honorably every academic year.
 
He told the students that management would address their concerns with dispatch.
 
Present at the meeting were the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Rosemond Boohene; Registrar, Mr. Jeff Teye Onyame; Director of Finance, Mrs. Elizabeth Obese;  Provosts, some Deans Directors, Hall Masters/Wardens, Heads of Section,  SRC/GRASAG and Juniour Common Room executives.
 
Dr. Kessal-Wulf

UCC Law Students sensitised on Constitutional Court of Germany and Basic Law

14 Apr, 2023 By DIS

A Justice of the Second Senate at the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany Dr. Sibylle Kessal-Wulf, has sensitised law students on the Constitutional Court of Germany and the Basic Law.

According to her,  the constitutional court was  established to protect the basic law of Germany and had unfettered powers to nullify any enactment that contravenes the basic laws of the land.

" The primary function of the constitutional court as a guardian of the constitution is to ensure that no political group has the power to bend the law," she explained.

Justice Dr.  Kessal-Wulf was speaking at a public lecture on the topic: “The Overview of the German Constitutional Court,"

It was attended by levels 200 and 300 students of the Faculty.

 

Composition of the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany

The Court is composed of two Senates, each with eight members. The President is currently Chairman of the First Senate, the Vice-President is the Chairman of the Second Senate.

In both Senates, according her, there were several chambers, each with three members.

"The 16 judges are each supported by four research assistants," Justice Dr Sibylle Kessal-Wulf pointed out.

She said the Court regularly had several years of professional experience at specialist courts, authorities, law firms or jurisprudence.

At least three members of each Senate must come from the highest federal courts (Federal Court of Justice, Federal Administrative Court, Federal Finance Court, Federal Labor Court and Federal Social Court) so that their special judicial experience can be incorporated into the jurisprudence of the Federal Constitutional Court.

Justice Dr  Kessal-Wulf said any person who had reached the age of 40 and is qualified to hold judicial office in accordance with the German Judiciary Act is eligible.

"The judges are elected for twelve years; the age limit is 68 years of age. To secure their independence, re-election is excluded," she added.

 

 

Section of the participants of the public lecture

 

 

Functions of the Court

Dr.  Kessal-Wulf,  noted that the relations between the national constitutional organs must be influenced by mutual respect among the political class and the judiciary. 

However, she  said some criticisms from the political class on major constitutional cases did not promote mutual relations.

She added that “the laws of the country must never be adapted to politics but politics to the law.”

‘The primary function of the constitutional court as a guardian of the constitution is to ensure that no political group has the power to bend the law’ said Justice Kassal-Wulf.

For her part, the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Mrs. Julia Selman-Ayetey, chairing the function, commended Justice Dr.  Kessal-Wulf for the wealth of knowledge she has shared with faculty and the students.

Dean of the Faculty of Law, Mrs. Julia Selman-Ayetey 

Prof. Nyarko-Sampson

Young People Need Guidance and Counseling to Fit into World of Work - Prof. Nyarko- Sampson

13 Apr, 2023 By DIS

A professor of Guidance and Counseling, Prof. Eric Nyarko-Sampson, has highlighted the need for young people to receive counseling and guidance to appropriately fit into the world of work.

According to him, young people were bound to face daunting challenges in their careers if they were not guided to make informed career choices.

"When young people are not fit in an occupation, they will get into challenges such as mental health which will affect their future life or reduce their self-esteem and affect their decision making abilities" he added.

Prof. Nyarko-Sampson, who is also the Vice-Chancellor for the University of Environment and Sustainable Development, therefore, advocated for an Act of Parliament that would make it mandatory for both public and private schools to render guidance services for their students.

He was speaking at his inaugural lecture held at the University of Cape Coast.

 

Lecture

The lecture, which was on the theme, "Through the Changing Scenes of Life: Finding a Fit in the World of Work", was attended by some notable personalities.

They included the honourable Minister for Energy, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh; the Chairman of the UCC Governing Council, Prof. Obeng Mireku; the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong, who chaired the function and some past vice- chancellors of UCC. Also present were the Vice-Chancellors, Pro Vice-Chancellors and Registrars of some sister tertiary institutions among numerous other academicians.

 

Prof. Nyarko-Sampson being welcomed into the College of Professors ahead of his robing

 

Prof. Narko-Sampson, during his lecture mentioned that conscious efforts should be made to guide young people to make programme choices that would lead to building careers. Such guided decisions would make them compete favourably in the international world of work in the future.

He also encouraged the youth to embrace career aspirations to augment their career development while acquiring the needed skills to fit into their chosen careers.

He admitted that guidance and counseling had not been effective in schools, partially due to inadequate logistics and funds to support personnel to carry out their duties responsibly. He disagreed with head teachers of some basic and second cycle institutions who appoint counselors on their own volition and asked the Ghana Education Service to sponsor staff to pursue guidance and counseling studies in tertiary institutions, whilst those on the field should be given in-service training.

 

Prof. Nyarko-Sampson robed as a member of the College of Professors - UCC

 

Prof. Nyarko-Sampong called on government to clarify the role of career guidance in national development by adopting a multi-sectoral approach to establish a Career Guidance Policy Framework.

Among others, he urged that scholars in universities in Ghana and Africa should undertake various researches that would inform further education and practice in career guidance.

 

BIODATA

ERIC NYARKO-SAMPSON, PhD, APR, F. AFTRA, FChPA, FCMC, Professor of Guidance and Counselling, began his education at Apowa Methodist School (near Takoradi), then to Abakrampa Methodist Primary School, Boa Amponsem Primary and Middle Schools in Dunkwa-on-Offin, and finally Aboom A. M. E. Zion Middle School, Cape Coast. He attended University Practice Secondary School for his GCE Ordinary Level Certificate and continued to Komenda College (now Komenda College of Education) where he had his initial teacher training education (Certificate “A”).

 

He holds a Bachelor of Education (Psychology), Master of Philosophy (Guidance & Counselling), and Master of Arts (Human Resource Management), from the University of Cape Coast. He graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Guidance and Counselling, from the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.

 

He was the Foundation Dean, Faculty of Educational Foundations, College of Education Studies, University of Cape Coast. As Chairman of Ghana’s National Teaching Council from 2017 to 2020, Eric led the agency of the Ministry of Education in major reforms nationwide in the teaching profession to uphold the standards of teaching by the provision of a quality assurance process to support the delivery of education in pre-tertiary institutions in a professional and competent manner by licensed teachers who have graduated from a recognized teacher training programme.

 

He is currently the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development.

 

Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC

A staff member explaining a point to student entrepreneurs.

D-Hub Commemorates First Anniversary

13 Apr, 2023 By DIS

The Design Thinking and Innovation Hub (D-Hub) of University of Cape Coast has climaxed the commemoration of its first anniversary with a variety of activities. These activities, engaged in by students, included an Entrepreneurial Clinic, a Showcase of Business, Munch and Mingle and indoor games.

Participants playing indoor games

 

 

The Director of D-Hub, Dr. Keren Nana Abeka Arthur, in a short address, said “Becoming an entrepreneurial student must be the priority of every student. Excelling academically is important, but spotting and seizing opportunities are what will give you an edge in the 21st century." 

She thanked staff of D-Hub for a good work and encouraged them to work hard to achieve the vision of the University.

Some students, who shared their experiences on the occasion of the anniversary, expressed gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong, for his foresight in establishing the D-HUB and placing the University of Cape Coast in the limelight as a world class entrepreneurial university. 

Ms. Juliet Osei, a student entrepreneur, said she was filled with great joy to associate herself with the Hub which had honed her entrepreneurial skills.

Another, Isaac Ntim, a level 300 student reading Physics, described the D-Hub as a "shoulder to cry on' that was helping to unearth the potentials of student entrepreneurs in the university. He encouraged students, regardless of their academic programmes, to join D-Hub, stressing that "very soon graduates from UCC will be job creators judging by the programmes being rolled out by D-Hub".

 

Members of staff of D-hub sharing the success of D-hub

 

About D-HUB, UCC

It was inaugurated by the Chancellor of UCC, Dr. Sam Jonah, on 5th April, 2022.

The mission of the Design Thinking and Innovation Hub (D-HUB) is to develop change agents in its community, stimulate the establishment and growth of start-up firms and other businesses as well as help solve societal problems through design thinking, technology transfer, diffusion of innovation and continuous improvement. Its objective is to use design thinking and entrepreneurship to support private sector growth and productivity as well as introduce new technologies and innovation in commercial and social enterprises.

An initiative of the Office of the Vice Chancellor, UCC, D-Hub envisions to make the University of Cape Coast a world class entrepreneurial university. This vision focuses on addressing problems associated with graduate unemployment, job creation and economic growth.

 

 

Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC

Centre for Coastal Management 10th Anniversary

Centre for Coastal Management Launches 10th Anniversary

13 Apr, 2023 By DIS

The Centre for Coastal Management (CCM), University of Cape Coast (UCC) has launched its 10th anniversary celebrations ahead of the climax in November 2023. Activities commemorating the anniversary will include community services, games, seminar, and dinner among others. 

The anniversary is on the theme, "Celebrating a Decade of Impactful Research and Capacity Building towards Sustainability and Resilience of Africa's Coastal and Marine Environment."

The Vice-Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong, who launched the anniversary, applauded the Centre for its impact towards enhancing the visibility of the University. He also lauded the Centre for its conscious gender mainstreaming through sponsoring 49% females to pursue post graduate programmes in Coastal Management.

"More than 35% of the students trained were from other African countries, boosting the international and regional image of UCC," he added.

Prof. Boampong urged the CCM to rededicate itself to work harder to achieve more laurels for the University.

The Vice-Chancellor said the organisation of seminars and workshops by the Centre for politicians and regulatory agencies had fostered sustainable coastal development in Ghana. He name-checked USAID, World Bank, Danida and the French Embassy for their invaluable contributions to the Centre.

He encouraged other centres and departments in UCC to emulate CCM.

 

L-R: Director of CCM, Prof. Aheto; Pro VC, Prof. Rosemond Boohene; Former Pro VC, Prof. G.K.T. Oduro and Immediate Past Pro VC, Prof. Dora Edu-Buandoh cutting the anniversary launch cake. Behind is the Provost of CANS, Prof. Moses Joojo Eghan.

L-R: Director of CCM, Prof. Aheto; Pro VC, Prof. Rosemond Boohene; Former Pro VC, Prof. G.K.T. Oduro and Immediate Past Pro VC, Prof. Dora Edu-Buandoh cutting the anniversary launch cake. Behind is the Provost of CANS, Prof. Moses Joojo Eghan.

 

For his part, the Director of the CCM, Prof. Denis Aheto, expressed gratitude to past and current managements of the University for their enormous support to the Centre. 

He said the Centre had granted 343 scholarships to students to pursue programmes in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences in the University. He also announced that students and faculty of the Centre had produced eighty-five research works for the past five years. 

The Director disclosed that nationals from Denmark and Kenya had benefited from the short courses of the Centre.

Prof. Aheto announced that CCM and the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences had envisaged to transform into an Ocean Institute with global reputation in capacity development, applied research and policy influence on the continent's coastal and marine domain.

At the launch, a former Vice- Chancellor of UCC, Prof. D. D. Kuupole, along with the immediate past Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, unveiled the CCM anniversary logo.

 

Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC

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