On behalf of the Governing Council and management of the University of Cape Coast and on my own behalf, I welcome all faculty, staff and students back to campus and wish everybody a fruitful and productive New Year. I wish to use this opportunity to thank the Almighty God for his mercies and for making us see another year.

We start 2021 with a lot to build on and a year that I look forward to with much to celebrate. It is my prayer that this year will be full of God’s goodness and I pray that all of us will continue to stay safe and be able to fulfill our individual and collective assignments.

The year 2020, as we all know, was extremely challenging with the outbreak of the global Covid-19 pandemic. It has completely revolutionized the world and its effects are still visible today. This notwithstanding, it is my hope that this year will be more productive.

To all faculty and staff, I look forward to this year with a lot of optimism and entreat all to do same. With our faith in God, I am certain that He, will through his divine providence restore to us all that we lost in the past year.

We have just returned from the Christmas and New Year break and it is my hope that we have all come back with renewed strength prepared for the task ahead.

To our fresh students, let me use this opportunity to welcome you to the University of Cape Coast. Congratulations to all of you for the hardwork that propelled you to be admitted into the University of Competitive Choice. It is a privilege you cannot take lightly. You have now become members of the University of Cape Coast family and we are happy that you chose to join us.  You are entering the University at a time when the global Covid-19 has transformed the entire higher education landscape. You therefore have a responsibility to quickly adapt to the changing trend and settle down to serious academic work.

Let me assure you that Management of the University has put in place adequate measures to make your stay here safe and pleasurable. We have a robust ICT infrastructure and a team of dedicated staff who are always willing to help to make your life on campus memorable. You will soon get to know the relevant support services available to you to enable you navigate your way through the University successfully.

To our continuing students, I welcome you back to another semester in a New Year. Last year offered you glimpses into how University life and culture will look like in the ensuing years with the Covid-19 pandemic still around. You were introduced to On-line teaching and learning and I know that most of you have become familiar with this new normal. As you settle down to academic work, I urge you to continue to make responsible use of the academic facilities at your disposal in order to make the best out of our present situation until things return to normal.

The Covid-19 pandemic is not over yet. Even with the discovery of a vaccine, it will still take a long time for the world to return to normal. It is therefore everybody's responsibility to continue to keep safe by observing and adhering to the safety protocols to ensure that we all remain safe.

Since the outbreak of the deadly virus, my administration has made appreciable efforts in ensuring that all the necessary logistics needed to make students and staff safe have been provided. The various Halls of residence and academic facilities have been fumigated and disinfected. Veronica Buckets have been provided at all public places on campus.  This notwithstanding, I urge all to continue to wear the face masks, wash our hands with soap under running water  and to maintain social distancing as much as practicable.

To our School of Business students who are at our satellite campus at the Ndoum School of Business and Technology at Elmina, I say Welcome. Although, you are physically detached from the main campus, you are students of the University of Cape Coast and all the necessary facilities have been put in place to make your stay and academic life less stressful.  

I continue to ask for support and cooperation from faculty, staff students, and all stakeholders to enable me fulfill the mandate that was entrusted into my hands and to be able to execute the vision that I have carved out from the corporate strategic plan of this our great University.

In this New Year, it is my hope and prayer that God will continue to guide and preserve us and give us the needed strength to be able to execute the tasks and responsibilities that have been entrusted into our hands.

Thank You and God Bless us all.

Signed

Professor Johnson Nyarko Boampong

Vice-Chancellor