By Prince Acquah
Cape Coast, July 28, GNA – The University of Cape Coast (UCC) has celebrated and awarded 141 staff retiring from active service this year.
The retirees, the largest number in a single year, comprised 19 senior members, 33 senior staff and 89 junior staff who served in various capacities for between six and 42 years.
Each retiree was awarded a citation and received varying items including fridges and freezers, television sets, living room furniture, gas burners, generators, and beds depending on the length of service.
They were honoured at the 2023 send-off and long service awards ceremony, which is held annually since 2004 to appreciate retiring staff and motivate those still in service.
Prof Johnson Nyarko Boampong, the Vice Chancellor of UCC, commended the retirees for their “remarkable and significant” contributions to the achievements of the university over the years.
“Though we cannot adequately compensate them for their invaluable services, we can at least declare the depth of our gratitude to each of them,” he said.
He assured that management would continue to appreciate and commit to the wellbeing of the retirees by strengthening and providing medical health support to them.
He also advised them to take good care of their health, reduce the intake of alcohol and join clubs and associations to enable them to fraternise and stay healthy.
The Vice Chancellor further assured that the university would continue to enhance the reward scheme and explore other avenues to improve on the packages for retirees amid the limited financial resources.
Prof Boampong announced that the university’s Council had approved the establishment of a Provident Fund for staff and that the Directorates of Human Resources and Finance were putting in place the appropriate modalities to get it running.
He, therefore, implored the various unions to leverage the fund to invest in their members and support them to plan towards enjoyable and fulfilling retirements.
For the active staff, the Vice Chancellor urged them to renew their commitment to the service of the university by demonstrating punctuality, loyalty, honesty, trustworthiness and hard work to enhance the status of the school globally.
Madam Pauline Nana Yaa Kwafoa, one of the retirees, speaking on behalf of her colleagues, expressed a feeling of nostalgia and thanked UCC for supporting and encouraging them during their active service.
We look forward to spending more time with our families and pursuing hobbies that will bring joy,” she said.
The Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU) in their solidarity message urged the retiring staff to invest their retirement benefits wisely, urging the men in particularly to resist the temptation to marry new wives.
GNA