UDS VC calls for national debate on corruption
The Vice Chancellor of the University for Development Studies (UDS), Prof Haruna Yakubu, has called for a national debate to tackle the issue of corruption as a national agenda.
Advertisement
He observed that society's love for money through fair or unfair means was the result of the level of corruption permeating in all sectors of the country.
Prof Yakubu, who was addressing the 14th congregation of the university in Wa, in the Upper West Region said, the canker of corruption derailed national development and called on all Ghanaians to collectively make efforts to arrest the situation.
He stressed the need to reintroduce civic education studies at the basic and junior high school levels as a first step towards inculcating the lost societal values in people and said " We need to begin to rediscover our lost Ghanaian values such as honesty and hard work".
The UDS Vice Chancellor said the introduction of civic education studies would also serve as a necessary step to launch a crusade to curb the canker of moral decadence and corruption in the society.
The fourteenth congregation is the first to be held at the Wa campus of the UDS since its establishment 20 years ago.
Previously, the Tamale campus of the university hosted all graduands from the Wa, Nyankpala, Navrongo and Tamale campuses during congregation.
In all, a total of 3,285 graduated from the Wa campus while 1981 students will graduate from the various campuses at a congregation to be held later at the Tamale campus.
The graduates include, diploma, undergraduate, post graduates and PhD students.
Touching on new programmes, Prof Yakubu said a Faculty of Agriculture, School of Medicine and Health Sciences and the Faculty of Education have been introduced this year.
He hinted that approval has also been given by the academic board for the introduction of bachelor of science programmes in Mechanical Engineering, Soil and Water conservation engineering next year.
On this year’s admissions, the UDS vice chancellor said a total of 19,161 applications were received for undergraduate programmes but the university could only admit 6,339 representing 59 per cent increase over last year’ s figure of 3, 755.
The increase in the number of admissions according to the Vice Chancellor was as result of the call by the government and other stakeholders in education for institutions to adjust the admission figures to contain the two batches of the senior high school graduates.
Prof Yakubu said the UDS is supporting 154 staff who are pursuing various programmes on study leave and expressed appreciation to the GETFund and the Commonwealth scholarship schemes among other institutions for their support in that regard.
He further announced the construction of a number structures including a sporting facility, a library and lecture hall complex among others.