For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

As we draw close to the end of 2020, a year that will forever remain engraved in our consciousness as one of the most challenging within our recent history, I wish to take this opportunity on behalf of the Governing Council and Management of the University, to wish all students and staff, a Merry Christmas and a fruitful year ahead.

I extend warm felicitations to members of our extended University family: our major stakeholders, partners and business associates who make up a significant part of our connected University community.

This season is a time when we celebrate the birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and God’s redemptive Grace to mankind. It is a season when we pause and reflect on the goodness of God and a time to also re-strategize for what lies ahead of us.

Scientists and governments are pondering on whether families should get together during the holidays, potentially relaxing social-distancing rules to do so. The fear is that relaxing the rules risks further spikes in the coronavirus infections at a time when many countries are seeing an increase in the number of cases. On the other hand, allowing families to get together will boost morale after a difficult year of much anxiety, loss and sacrifice due to the pandemic.

This year has been a very unusual period in our collective history. The global Covid-19 pandemic disrupted normal life, affecting every sphere of our academic community. For our first year students, this year was your first time in the University and the pandemic deprived you of the opportunity to fully immerse yourself into normal University life and culture. For our continuing students and the rest of the University community, this year was simply not normal. We all had to learn to adapt and re-strategize in order to make progress.

In spite of the difficulties we encountered this year as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic, the picture has not been entirely bleak. As an academic community, we have chalked significant successes for which reason we have to be grateful and thankful to God.

This is also the year I assumed office as the 11th Vice-Chancellor of our great University and settling down to build on the many successes that my predecessors have built over the years. I have recently launched two significant documents that will shape the corporate image and direction of our great institution within the next four years.

These documents were my Vision & Strategy, and a Business & Enterprise Development Policy. These documents are intended to provide strategic direction in our collective drive to continue to make this University a University of Competitive Choice of World-wide Acclaim.

I thank the university community for the overwhelming support since I assumed office. I acknowledge the sacrifices made by both staff and students in the conduct of examination, marking of scripts, and a successful congregation. We all had to do our part to help create a healthy and safe environment for the University of Cape Coast community in the midst of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

As we prepare to enter into a new year, I submit to God almighty for His guidance and strength for us all. May all of us be preserved and protected until we meet in the coming year with new hope, commitment and fresh dedication to duty.

I urge all of us to continue to keep safe and adhere strictly to the COVID-19 safety protocols during and after the festive season. Let us endeavor to do all things in moderation.

May the everlasting God and the Prince of Peace keep and sustain all of us. 

AFEHYIAPAA OO, AFE NKO NBESAN YENHO!

Professor Johnson Nyarko Boampong

Vice-Chancellor, UCC

Cape Coast