University of Ghana gets $16m World Bank support
The University of Ghana has been selected by the World Bank to receive 16 million dollars to establish the West Africa Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP).
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The amount will also be used in putting up the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) as an African Centre for Excellence to train plant breeders, seed scientists and seed technologists.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Ernest Aryeetey, made this known during the March 2014 graduation ceremony at the university on Saturday.
Graduation statistics
In all, 2,534 students received degrees, diplomas and certificates after completing their courses of study. Out of the number, 1,601 students were from the distance education programme, 21 were newly qualified dentists, 156 were medical doctors, with 156 students graduating with Bachelor of Science in Medical Science.
According to him, the WACCBIP would provide Masters, PhD and post-doctoral level training and conduct research, that would focus on cell and molecular biology of common diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis.
The WACCI would be developed as a sustainable centre of excellence to train plant breeders who would develop superior climate-smart and resilient varieties of staple crops of the West African sub-region as a means of increasing productivity.
The two projects, he said, were expected to be completed over three years.
Master’s Dissertation grants
Prof. Aryeetey indicated that the Christian Health Association of Ghana, in collaboration with DfID, had provided GH¢25,000 to the university to provide dissertation grants to master’s students carrying out research on topics related to mental health.
“The College of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences has also received scholarship awards totalling GH¢40,000 from the A.G. Leventis Foundation for postgraduate students at the college,” he added.
Additionally, he said the Students Financial Aid Office continued to receive donations from individuals and organisations to supplement the university’s efforts at providing assistance to students facing financial challenges, adding, ”Ecobank Ghana has presented a cheque for GH¢30,000 to support needy and brilliant students.”
Financial aid
He said the Women Empowerment for Social Development in Africa, a non-governmental organisation, had also donated GH¢3,032 to cover academic and residential facility user fees, feeding, books and pocket money for a level 100 female student of the Business School.
According to him, the university conference grant facility has since May 2013, awarded 57 conference grants valued at GH¢88,500 to provide support to senior members to attend and present papers at various conferences.
Research Development
The vice chancellor stated that the university had begun a process of transforming itself into a research institution in areas such as malaria, climate change, food security and poverty.
To make the vision a reality, Prof. Aryeetey indicated that in the next academic year, the university would allocate GH¢ 1 million from its internally generated funds to each of the four centres of excellence with the view to helping them to start their research activities.
Restrictions on Legon Roads
Speaking on the decision of the university to restrict access to its roads, he said it was unfortunate the objective of reducing the build-up of vehicular traffic on the campus and creating a more congenial atmosphere for academic work suffered severe criticisms from the public.
He indicated that lack of adequate education and knowledge about the university’s intention to toll its roads might have given cause to the many criticisms, adding, “We can only intensify our public education on the university’s activities in the future.”
Prof. Aryeetey blamed the negative publicity experienced by the university on elements of the community who stood to lose some of their privileges and self-accorded entitlements to University of Ghana’s assets.
“They had become comfortable from drawing on the university’s resources without ever giving back. They question the university’s decision to ‘make money,’ especially from them,’ he stressed.
He said the university meant no harm, and was only trying to protect it in the public interest, noting that it would continue to work in the interest of the wider community.