President Nana Addo Dankwa
Akufo-Addo yesterday [Monday, 8 May] launched the University of Ghana Endowment
Fund, which is meant to provide additional funding and resources to enable the
University improve upon the delivery on its mandate.
Delivering an address at the event, held at the
Great Hall of the University of Ghana, the president said proceeds from the
Fund would assist in the provision of additional facilities to enhance research
and teaching.
Describing it as an excellent
initiative, he stated Funds such as this constitute the fulcrum around which
most world-class universities in the world operate.
“My government fully supports and
shares in your vision to become a research-intensive university, and we will do
all in our power to help you actualize this,” he added.
President Akufo-Addo urged the
University of Ghana, as well as all tertiary institutions in the country, to
find innovative and effective ways of linking up with industry and the
corporate world, to engage in quality, strategic research, targeted at finding
practical solutions to real life challenges of our society, and thereby
actualize research findings to the benefit of our country.
“Indeed, pursuant to our
manifesto promise to establish a Research Fund in addition to the Book and
Research Allowance to facilitate further research and innovation, I am pleased
to inform you that this is currently receiving the active consideration at
Cabinet level, and I am confident that, shortly, it will be established by Act
of Parliament,” the President added.
Yesterday’s launch of the
Endowment Fund formed part of the celebrations marking the 70th Anniversary of
the founding of the University of Ghana, Legon.
Recounting the history
surrounding the establishment of the University, President Akufo-Addo paid
tribute to the inestimable work the late JB Danquah did to mobilise the
Ghanaian people to insist on the building of this University.
“It was the inspired, visionary
leadership of this great scholar and nationalist, who was described in his
lifetime as the Doyen of Gold Coast politics, that enabled the Ghanaian people
to reject the original decision of the colonial government that a single
university be established in Ibadan, in Nigeria, for British West Africa, and
get it to agree to the establishment of a separate university for our country,”
the President said.
“How felicitous was that
decision, and how greatly it has contributed to the growth of modern Ghana. It
would not be far-fetched to describe Joseph Boakye Danquah as the founder of
this University, a fact, which, on the 70th anniversary of its existence,
should be vividly recalled by all of us who are the beneficiaries of his work.”
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