Presbyterian University readies for medical school
The Presbyterian University, Ghana (PUG) has reached an advanced stage of starting a medical school at its Asante Akyem campus.
The President of the university, Professor Ebenezer Oduro Owusu, who made this known, said already, the university had committed portions of its land at Agogo for the construction of facilities and conversion of the Agogo Presbyterian Hospital into a teaching hospital as a requirement for the commencement of the medical school
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He was speaking at the 16th graduation ceremony of the university at Abetifi in the Eastern Region last Saturday.
A total of 539 students made up of 270 males and 269 females passed out in various disciplines including Business Administration, Rural and Community Development, Environmental and Natural Resources Management, Information and Communication Technology, Physician Assistantship, Nursing, Midwifery Law and Social Studies.
New programmes
Prof. Owusu said the PUG, which received a Presidential Charter on March 3, this year, making it a fully fledged university, had also started developing a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programme in Leadership and Management.
In addition, the institution was developing new programmes at the Master's level in Science and Nursing, BSc in Communication Studies, MBA in Project Development and MSc in Information Communication Technology.
He mentioned other programmes to be established in the near future as PhD in Environment and Development, MBA in Human Resource Development and Management.
Food security
Prof. Owusu stated that in view of the current world economic order in relation to food security, the PUG had initiated discussions with the University of Qatar and Avnon Academy in Israel to establish a Food Security Unit.
The unit, he explained, would focus on ensuring the availability of food along the value chain for the Ghanaian economy at affordable prices while protecting the farmers interests.
He stated that the PUG had received an assurance from the Chief of Somsei in Afram Plains, Nana Osei Omari Brempong II, who is an agricultural entrepreneur, of his firm support in making land available for practical farming and research into indigenous storage systems for most of the agricultural farm produce.
That, he noted, would ensure the storage of abundant foodstuffs during the bounty seasons to last longer and make them available during the lean season for price stability and consumer protection.
Accommodation/rebranding
To help solve the accommodation problem facing the university, especially the proposed medical school, Professor Owusu indicated that the university would welcome any form of arrangements for the provision of affordable housing and hostels for the students and staff.
To enable the university to stand on its feet in relation to finance, Professor Owusu said the PUG had signed a memorandum of understanding with KDG Advertising and Marketing to assist it in rebranding, marketing and fundraising.
Staff welfare
Touching on staff welfare, he said PUG had started implementing the recommendations of the committee of enquiry that investigated the high staff attrition rate, to arrest the challenge.
The university, the President said, was also collaborating with Oxford University for the establishment of the Grants Office and joint research.
He also stressed that a premier hostel, which was being constructed at Abetifi, would hopefully be inaugurated next year.
