By
Julius K. Satsi, GNA
Accra, July 21, GNA – The College of Basic and
Applied Sciences at the University of Ghana (UG) has awarded Doctorates,
Masters and first Degrees to 959 graduates with a call to uphold the integrity
of time as a precious gift.
Mr William Amuna, the Policy Advisor to the
Minister for Energy, who made the call said, ‘African Time’ was an enemy to the
country’s progress urging the graduates to be punctual in all they do adding
that, “there is no reason why you should believe in African Time”.
Sharing some principles of success, he urged
the graduates to have it in mind that “whatever I do, it must bring honour to
myself, it must bring honour to my family and it must bring honour to my
country.”
He said in order to build themselves, it was
important to note that the first years after graduation was when one had to
study to bring themselves up in the professional ladder.
He said the first two years after graduation
were the formation stage, when graduates had to develop and keep educating
themselves to be equipped to take advantage of every opportunity and tackle
every challenge that may show up.
He said the formation stages were the times to
dream adding that dreams were recognised as signatories of reality “but you
must back you’re your dreams with efforts … you must work hard to achieve
whichever you have”.
He urged the graduates to live honest lives
saying, “To live a successful life, you must be honest, you must be
disciplined”, adding that there was the need to be fair to all manner of
persons they met on the professional path.
The Vice Chancellor said, this year, a total
of 3,184 students would be graduating at various level from the University’s
four colleges, thus, Colleges of Health Sciences, Humanities, Education, and
Basic and Applied Sciences.
Professor Oduro Owusu noted that the
University’s admission process reflected the diverse nature of student
population saying, during the 2017/2018 admission cycle, a total of 14,128
students, made up of 11,707 undergraduates and 2,421 graduate students accepted
offers and enrolled in various programmes run on various campuses.
He said, the University Council Board had
approved a number of new courses and programmes to be added to the already
existing ones adding that they included; Executive Masters of Science in
Fisheries Administration and Management, Doctor of Philosophy in Health Physics
Radiation, and a functional law courses for undergraduate students.
He said the Academic Board has also approved
revisions to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Bachelor of Science, Master of
Science and Master of Philosophy in Nursing and Midwifery programmes.
He noted that the University had forged new
institutional partnership to promote research, exchange of students and faculty
with a number of institutions in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and
Latin America.
He said a total of about 950 Wi-Fi access
points had been installed in all campuses of the University including the
Research Centre and the Regional Distance Education Learning Centres.
He noted that the University awarded
scholarship to a total of 614 students out of 920 applicants representing 66.7
per cent adding that “the 614 scholarship awardees comprised 424 males
representing 69.1 per cent and 190 females representing 30.9 per cent.
Ms Abena Apraku, the overall best students
with Final Grade Point Average of 3.98 delivering the valedictory address urged
her colleagues to make adequate use of the vital principles that had been
accumulated during the stay in the school.
She commended parents, lecturers and other
stakeholders for the various forms of investment made during their academic
expedition.
GNA