Rename UDS After JJ Rawlings

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Category: The NoticeBoard

Created on Sunday, 13 November 2011 00:00

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Rename UDS After JJ Rawlings

The Arab Spring, a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests occurring in the Arab world, forced hitherto unconquerable leaders like Muamar Gaddafi of Libya, Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, Ben Ali of Tunisia, Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen, and Bashar al-Assadof Syria out of office has sparked debates in the minds of political watchers here in Ghana, and other parts of the world.

{sidebar id=11 align=right}In this thought provoking write-up. An avid reader of The Herald, Mr. B K Segbefia, is asking the good people of Ghana to honour the nation’s longest serving President; Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings by renaming the University of Development Studies (UDS,) in the Northern Region, after him for his contributions to national development, financial contribution to the school and more importantly a peaceful transition of power to ex-President John A. Kufuor in 2001.

Below is the unedited write-up from Mr. Segbefia….

Each and every president that Ghana has had made some great contributions to the nation’s development drive for which they deserve an ocean of commendations.

However, in comparative terms, some could be said to be ahead of others in one area or the other. And for me, Jerry John Rawlings, a former military officer of the Ghana Armed Forces, has done certain things which Africa as a whole is so proud of vis-a-vis his background.

Firstly, the open and transparent manner in which he conducted the country’s general elections at the end of his second term when his Vice was a presidential candidate and very much wished to succeed him, but he decided to let the people’s will prevail.

He was so honest to his countrymen and peacefully handed over power to the opposition leader to then Mr John Agyekum Kuffour, the opposition leader.

This is remarkably commendable in that he did this in the face of what was becoming trendy on the African continent where many leaders barefacedly put on an armour jacket, went every length and breadth to alter their nation’s constitution by either removing or extending limits so as to contest as many times as they had life in them.

In the electoral duel, they always put the Opposition’s back on the ground with much ease without the international and local referees’ whistles playing any effective role. But JJ distanced himself from this team of self-seeking leaders. Some of them ended up plunging their countries into a pit of fire that caused irreparable damage to lives and properties.

On this objectionable list, which, on the other hand, is worthy of reference are Eyadema of Togo (dead but succeeded by his son, Faure, who recently caused the gaoling of his elder brother for a coup attempt), Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Paul Biya of Cameroun, Omar Bongo of Gabon (dead but succeeded by his son Ali), and the late Lansana Conte of Guinea.

Others are Idris Derby of Chad, Zine El Abdine Ben Ali of Tunisia, and Mamadou Tanja of Niger. In Uganda, term limits were removed entirely, thus giving an opportunity to aspire for life presidency.

This limitlessness is what has made it possible for our in-law, Robert Mugabe, (his late wife hailed from Sekondi) to manage elections the way he does, thus attracting various negative adjectives from observers.

Some presidents were, nonetheless, ill-fated in their bid. Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria was about to join the band wagon when his Vice, Atiku, broke ranks and led a rebellion with the Senate lining up behind him.

Though attempts in Malawi and Zambia to cause a constitutional review for longer stay also failed, they demonstrated the insatiable taste some African leaders had/have for power, tasty or sour. In Namibia, however, proponents succeeded in extending the term by one only.

The afore-mentioned examples offer us enough testimonies of how manipulative some of our presidents became and could become.

We can think of Hosni Mubarak and Col Al Qathafi of Egypt and Brother Qathafi Libya, respectively. They were only swept off their feet by the artificial tsunami of revolt. Qathafi’s death was most unfortunate.

His corpse should have been treated in a dignified manner rather than being ‘buried at an identified location in the desert’, why? May Allah receive his soul.

JJ had a foresight and displayed statesmanship that was very rare in his days. He ensured that Ghana remained peaceful and intact. Ghana has since become the bastion of democracy.

For this exceptional gesture, JJ has become a doyen or a highly respected ex-leader on the continent. Before this feat, he had demonstrated his benevolence in another unique way.

He donated a great chunk of his Hunger Project award of USD5ml in 1993 to the University of Development Studies as seed money to make university education more accessible to our compatriots in the northern sector of the country. Another aim of this donation to the school was to bridge the development gap between the north and the south, as education clasps the golden key.

The remaining amount did not go into his pocket, no; it went into charity. If it surprises you to know that it was that amount that was used to establish the Korlebu Heart Foundation, then of course that should draw attention to the relevance of my point of the need for the state to immortalise JJ by naming the UDS after him.

It’s worth mentioning that Ex-President JAK Kuffour has also won this Hunger Project award. The institution of this award is to recognise tremendous efforts made by leaders at reducing hunger among citizens of their countries through increased food production.

JAK deserves praises for the way he has conducted himself so far in retirement, maintaining silence on partisan domestic issues and rather focussing on international assignments. He should keep this up and it’s hoped that others will emulate him. Silence, it is said, is golden.

Coming back to JJ’s contribution to the establishment of UDS, today, the institute is attended by thousands of students with a good number coming from the southern part of the country.

These students, especially those from the south, whom other state public universities could not admit due to obvious reasons, would either have spent a year or two at home before gaining admission in any of the universities in the south, or would simply not have had access to university education.

What could USD5ml not have done in the life of an individual, for that matter a Ghanaian? It could have been more than enough to put up a state-of-the-art mansion for JJ and his family. However, he gave it up for the good of the nation, what an altruistic selfless man!

Today, we are told that with the exception of a chalet at Vume near Sogakope in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region, and his state-given but burnt ancient house in Accra, JJ has no private residence.

It was for this priceless contribution to the growth of education in the country in general and the north in particular that the UDS thought it prudent to honour him during an anniversary sometime ago. Sadly enough, however, the scheduled award was taken off at the eleventh hour by some unseen hands to the disappointment and embarrassment of some citizens as well as students of the school.

The occurrence sparked off some brief but loud debates in the country with a permanent scar on the conscience of some people; that is if only they have one which is alive.

But as Ewes lullaby a distressed person: ‘ne Mawu mewu wo o la, anyigba madu wo o’, to wit unless God takes your life, vain mother earth’s attempt to gulp you down. God returned the NDC to power against all predictions and prophesies.

This miraculous return is interpreted as divine for the restoration of that deserving honour which was yanked from JJ. I, therefore, wish to remind the NDC government of the need to rename the UDS after JJ.

It must do that sooner than later. If even under the NPP administration, the authorities of the UDS and some members of the government saw the need to honour JJ ala his contributions to the establishment of the school, what excuse will the NDC, now in power, have for not doing that?

All natives of the North, without partisan consideration, and all parents whose children or wards, past and present students of that university must, without partisan interest, support the suggestion for the renaming of the school to Jerry John Rawlings UDS (JJRUDS).

It was reported that the new Zambian president, Michael Sata, renamed the country’s airport after Kenneth Kaunda, the founding father. Though good, I do not think that patriots should be honoured rather posthumously when it’s possible for us to show that appreciation whilst they are alive.

It will be a big indictment and humiliation of the NDC if it fails to rename the UDS after JJ and leaves power someday only for the government of a different political party to do that. That will add more weight to the axiom that the Ghanaian adores the dead.

I am of the view that tributes read at funerals should rather be compliments to the living, that’s whilst they live, not dead. This will be a way of urging them on to continue being benefactors.

Although some of the living at funerals where these tributes are read will derive some useful lessons by moulding their lives on the positive attributes of the departed, I don’t think that it’s good enough to withhold those commendations till they drop dead and are lying motionlessly when those nice words will not mean anything to them.

Let us honour patriotism as the patriots are alive, not after their demise or when they are in the evening of their lives. Let us acknowledge JJ’s immense contributions by renaming the UDS after him, as he is alive.

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By BK Segbefia

Source: The Herald/Ghana

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4,500 teachers to get ICT training

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Category: The WorkShop

Created on Tuesday, 27 September 2011 00:00

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4,500 teachers to get ICT training

{sidebar id=11 align=right}The Ministry of Education in conjunction with the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology and rlg Communications will train 4,500 teachers nationwide to use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to enhance their careers.

The first batch of 310 teachers have already benefited from the training out of which 25 of them who are based in the Upper West Region were presented with their certificates at a symbolic ceremony at Wa on Thursday.

They had one-week intensive hands-on practical training and experience with ICT devices and applications.

Mr. Paul Akonnor, Group Head of Information Technology of rlg Communications, noted that ICT was driving global development as it was changing the way mankind lived, worked and did business.

Teachers as pivot of development who played a great role in the upbringing of children therefore needed to be taught to understand ICT so as to impart it to their pupils.

rlg Communications which is a major private sector partner of the Government also presented 15 laptops to the Lawra Senior High School as its share of the 1,500 laptops under the Mathematics, Science and Technology Scholarship (MASTERS) programme initiated by the MEST.

To underscore the practical implementation and progress of the Better Ghana ICT project, he said 1,500 laptops were being distributed to selected basic and second cycle schools throughout the country under the Better Ghana ICT project.

Alhaji Issaka Saliah, Upper West Regional Minister, urged students to use the computers for activities that would improve their lives by exhibiting the benefits of the usage for others to emulate.

He called on all beneficiary schools to take good care of the computers so that the company would be encouraged to assist other schools with ICT facilities.

Mohammed Alhassan Shaban, a course participant, thanked rlg Communications for organizing the training for them saying, it was crucial that every teacher learnt ICT in a modern society.


Source: GNA  

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Court blocks UG demo, students say it is unfair

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Category: Youth News

Created on Tuesday, 18 October 2011 00:00

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Court blocks UG demo, students say it is unfair

The Ghana police have secured a court injunction to restrain students of the University of Ghana, Legon, from hitting the streets on Tuesday to demonstrate against what they described as exorbitant fees.

The student leadership confirmed to Citi FM that it received the document which prevents them from going ahead with their planned protest.

According to them, the document stated that the proposed routes for the demonstration have not been approved by the police.

A spokesperson of the agitated students, Kweku Boadu speaking to Citi News described the development as unfair.

“If you would not allow the youth to demonstrate the frustrations they are going through in the form of organised demonstrations then what more do you want them to do,” Boadu said. “If we are going to suppress and make sure the conduct of well intended demonstrations are frustrated then it is an unhealthy development in our society. ”

The police have, however, defended its stance saying the service wrote to the students stating they disapprove of the chosen routes.

Speaking to Citi News ACP Cyprian Zenge, the Greater Accra Regional Police PRO, said the roads were directly disapproved by the regional Police Commander, Rose Bio Atinga.

Meanwhile, the University of Ghana authorities have announced a reduction in school fees for the current academic year. This move, however, covers only graduate students.

The decision was arrived at after a meeting between the graduate students leadership and officials of the university led by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Ernest Aryeetey.

The graduate students had indicated their intention to demonstrate if their concerns were not addressed, but a dialogue with the university authorities led to the removal of some components of the school fees.

Source: Ghana/ Citifmonline

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BECE Candidates In Volta Region To Miss SHS

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Category: The NoticeBoard

Created on Wednesday, 21 September 2011 00:00

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BECE Candidates In Volta Region To Miss SHS

Mr Gabriel Kploanyi, Regional Director of Education, has said than 50 per cent of pupils who completed their basic education in the Volta region may not gain admission to second cycle schools.

He said this at a meeting of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council on Thursday. He said the region has recorded a consistent decline in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) since 2009 adding that the region recorded 48.8 per cent in 2009, which went down to 43.9 per cent in 2010 and further down to 38 per cent in 2011.

He said South Dayi District posted the best result at 73 per cent with Krachi-East being the worst performer at 20 per cent this year.

Mr Kploanyi said the low percentage indicates that more than 50 per cent of the region’s pupils may not proceed to second cycle schools after their basic education.

He said there was also a high attrition rate of teachers from the region with more than 90 teachers from both the basic and senior high schools requesting to be released to other regions and as a result of this a total of 3744 teacher vacancies have been declared for the 2010/2011 academic year.

Mr Kploanyi said there should be an intensification of monitoring and supervision in all schools in order to improve quality teaching and learning.

He suggested that the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) and Conference of Directors of Education (CODE), should take the necessary measures to ensure a positive change in the current academic regime.


Source: GNA/Ghana

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