President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has reiterated the commitment of his government to expand infrastructure at University of Cape Coast (UCC) to absorb the teeming Free Senior High School graduates’ access to university education.
“Indeed, I assure you of the commitment of my government to give the University the required support to expand its infrastructure for the benefit of the numerous senior high school graduates who now qualify to access university education” he said.
The President was speaking at the grand durbar climaxing the 60th anniversary celebration of UCC.
He expressed gratitude to UCC for acknowledging the benefits of the Free Senior High School intervention since its inception in 2017.
The President with some dignitaries at the UCC@60 grand durbar
Despite the harsh economic conditions currently facing the country, he observed that government would not renege on its commitment to provide quality education and equal opportunities for future generations to access good education.
“Regardless of the difficulties currently confronting our nation, government will continue to intervene and remain responsible for the provision of free and quality basic and secondary education for all”, President Akufo-Addo added, insisting: “Education is the equalizer of opportunities”.
Whilst finding solutions to complex and far reaching problems across borders and disciplines, the President charged the University to remain “pure and unadulterated in the provision of quality academic and intellectual discourse”.
He expressed joy at the number of products from UCC occupying enviable positions in the country, especially in public universities.
A section of some dignitaries at the grand durbar
He, therefore, seized the chance to pay glowing tribute to the founders, management, lecturers and students of UCC for their resolve, hard work and commitment to duty which had led the University to chalk up successes.
President Akufo-Addo lauded the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong, for his vision to produce graduates with entrepreneurial mindsets and assured the Vice-Chancellor that government would support him to realise his lofty entrepreneurial vision for the University.
Former Chairman of UCC Council, Nana Sam Brew Butler and some traditional rulers
The President, therefore, urged traditional authorities in Cape Coast to join forces with government to stop all encroachment on UCC lands.
UCC urged to Champion Agenda “Grow What We Eat”
The Chancellor of UCC, Dr. (Sir) Sam Esson Jonah, has charged the School of Agriculture of the University to take the lead in providing better yielding crop varieties in ensuring increase in crop production.
“We are entrusting this school with the responsibility of ensuring that we grow what we eat and to a large extent eat what we grow. I expect you to establish a faculty that is capable of forming strong partnerships, bonds and collaborations with institutions and other relevant local bodies, pertinent to the development of our agricultural sector”, he said.
UCC Chancellor, Dr. (Sir) Sam Esson Jonah
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong, for his part, promised to ensure that the University chalked up many academic successes during his tenure.
To achieve that, he appealed to government to consider giving financial clearance for the recruitment of staff for the University to reduce the workload of teaching staff.
He attributed the accomplishments of the University to all the stakeholders and founding fathers of the University.
President Nana Akuo-Addo commissioning one of the new facilities
The durbar, held at the New Examination Centre, attracted high profile personalities, including politicians, academics, traditional authorities amongst others.
Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC