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University of Ghana celebrates 60th anniversary
Accra, Jan. 8, Ghanadot/GNA- Professor
Alexander A. Kwapong, the first Ghanaian Vice Chancellor of
the University of Ghana, Legon has urged the authorities to
transform the premier university to meet the challenges of
the 21st Century.
"The University of Ghana is still primus inter pares, but it
must now carve out a new and appropriate niche for itself
and renew itself for the coming years."
Prof. Kwapong was launching the 60th anniversary celebration
and the unveiling of anniversary logo and jingle of the
university at a ceremony on Tuesday at Legon.
The celebration, scheduled for July this year is on the
theme; "Legon: Charting a New Course".
He said the country had come a long way and the higher
education landscape in Ghana was now different from the
early seventies.
"As we celebrate this 60th anniversary of the University of
Ghana, a year after Ghana's own Golden Jubilee Anniversary
celebrations ----, one cannot help but proudly notice the
indispensable contribution and overwhelming role that
products of this university have made to almost every aspect
of Ghana's development as an independent nation.
"As we duly take stock of the successes and failures, and
assess the challenges, the missed opportunities and
achievements of this institution during these past 60 years,
I am sure the impartial conclusion will be that the Legon
story has so far been a success story; but it must adapt and
change itself for the 21st Century," he said.
Prof. Kwapong congratulated the university on the attainment
of its 60th milestone and paid tribute to all concerned,
young and old, Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians alike, who had
contributed over the years to the attainment of the
anniversary.
He stressed the need to honour the memory of those Ghanaian
pioneers, who died, together with their expatriate
colleagues, under the leadership of Mr David Balme, the
founding Principal of the University, who laid the solid
foundations for the growth and development of the university
into a great African university.
Professor Clifford N.B. Tagoe, the Vice Chancellor, said
although the university celebrated its 50th years
anniversary only 10 years ago, "we believed 60 years is
worth marking".
He said the events of the past 10 years provided the
institution not only an opportunity for reflection but also
the confidence to look ahead for greater things.
"We have seen unprecedented growth in the numbers of
students. Ten years ago we had about 15, 000 students; we
now have nearly 30,000.
"The University has seen changes in its governance structure
by the establishment of colleges, Health Science and
Agriculture and Consumer Sciences, a Faculty of Engineering
Sciences and the Accra City Campus, a number of centres -
Gender Studies and Advocacy, Migration Studies and Crop
Improvement - are all in place," he said.
Prof. Tagoe said the university had witnessed and was
witnessing growth in the physical infrastructure involving
student and staff accommodation, academic facilities for the
Science, Agriculture, Social Studies and Law Faculties and
also for various units in the College of Health Sciences and
City Campus.
He said the Chemistry Building, started in early 1970s, was
eventually completed during the period and there was massive
investment in sports and recreational facilities in the form
of a swimming pool, gymnasium and sports stadium.
In the area of academic work, the Vice Chancellor said, many
new programmes, especially at the Master Degree level had
been developed and arrangements for the introduction of
courses in Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine were nearing
completion.
Ambassador James Aggrey-Orleans, Chairman of the 60th
Anniversary Panning Committee, commended the authorities for
maintaining the cordial relationship between staff and the
students over the years.
"During our days in the university we experienced a similar
friendship, which had enabled us to forge ahead in unity to
put together the university's programme of development," he
said.
He said as part of the celebrations, each faculty would be
show casing different activities to portray the success of
the university.
He, therefore, called on all alumni to support the
university by establishing an Endowment Fund to enable it
achieve targeted goals.
Mrs. Mary Chinery-Hesse, a member of the University Council
and the chairperson for the occasion, said the anniversary
would offer the university an opportunity to look back and
reflect on achievements and failures.
She said the university had played a pivotal role in the
development of the country and commended stakeholders for
their efforts.
Prof. Daniel Mireku-Gyimah, Vice Chancellor of the
University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa read out the
goodwill message.
GNA
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