By Maxwell Awumah
Ho, July 24, GNA – The Volta Regional New Patriotic Party (NPP) has called on Ghanaians to condemn the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for opposing the decision to confer an Honorary Doctor Degree on President Akufo-Addo by the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS).
Mr Makafui Kofi Woanya, Volta Regional Chairman of NPP, made the call at a press conference organised to respond to recent effusions and threats by the Concerned Volta Youth and the youth wing of the NDC directed at the UHAS administration and Governing Council over the conferment programme.
He condemned the group for making misleading and false claims and described their action as backward, ill-advised, and reprehensible.
The youth groups among others, challenged the merit of the honour to be bestowed on the President and claimed he did little to support the development of the University, established by late President Atta Mills as the nation’s a premier health training institution.
According to the groups, the University had ignored the honour of the initiators of founders and said the President’s affiliation to a political party known to have sneered at the conception of the institution made him undeserving of the recognition, calling on the UHAS authorities to cancel the conferment on the President..
The group had also threatened a demonstration if calls were not heeded.
According to Mr Woanya, UHAS was established by the late President John Evans Atta Mills with a Chinese grant of US$20 Million but the University was incubated in President John Agyekum Kuffour’s Nurses’ and Doctors’ Flats and Mother-and-Child facility at the now Teaching Hospital, adding that School “did not start from ground zero at the permanent site.
He mentioned that UHAS today has befitting facilities including a laboratory complex, three lecture halls, faculty offices for School of Medicine, a storey building for School of Pharmacy with offices, Sokode hostel (four separate buildings, Asogli hostel (four separate buildings and construction of on-going road networks.
He said the Chinese fund of US$60 Million for the Phase two projects was a new grant engineered under the government of President Akufo-Addo with the concept note of the Phase two was approved in 2019 and sod was cut for the project in 2021 by the current President, which had been completed and ready for commissioning in July 29, this year.
He said the Phase two comprises the construction of the central Administration complex, School of Nursing and Midwifery, the largest in West Africa, a fully equipped state-of-the-art Simulation centre and classrooms, with the facility expected to increase student intake.
He disclosed that the President and his government set up an Escrow account and paid in the counterpart funding as a condition precedent to activate the Phase two funds.
Mr Woanya said it was shameful for the youth groups to suggest that land owners be nominated for Honorary degrees and asked, “when did it become the business of political parties to determine who qualifies for awards by a university.”
“Since when does public institutions become the private property of political parties or the regions in which they are located.”
He said the first pioneering recipient of UHAS Honorary Doctorate degree was bestowed on former First Lady, Mrs Ernestina Naadu Mills, and again instituted Atta Mills Memorial Lectures saying these are factual representation of events.
Mr Woanya urged the NDC to win itself from fanning tribal sentiments, saying, “Politics is about development and improvement in the people.”
He assured UHAS management and the Governing Council of solidarity and urged them to stand by their decision in exercise of their mandate, independence, and academic freedom.
Earlier, Professor Lydia Aziato, Vice Chancellor of UHAS in an exclusive interview with the Ghana News Agency said in 2023, the nomination from the Governing Council to honour President Akufo-Addo was based on his personal role in the second phase of the University projects and other national contributions in the education sector with notable achievements such as the ambitious Free SHS, the development of STEM education and the realisation of the UHAS Phase two project.
President Akufo-Addo, is expected to be decorated by Governing Council and Management of the University with an Honorary Doctorate degree on July 29, this year, after commissioning the Phase two UHAS project.
GNA