The Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Hon. Ignatius Baffuor Awuah on Saturday, April 1, 2023, graced a colourful Grand Durbar held to climax UENR’s 10th Anniversary celebration. The ceremony which took place at the University Field saw dignitaries from all walks of life who joined the University to recount and celebrate how far the University has come, acknowledging its achievements and success stories as well as its challenges and striving towards greater heights.
The year-long celebration was launched in February 2022, on the theme “A Decade of Academic Excellence in Energy and Natural Resources Education – Commemorating the Past, Celebrating the Present and Shaping the Future for National Development.”
The University Council Chairman, Prof. Kwasi Nsiah Gyabaah in his welcome address deemed it a great occasion to celebrate the University’s birth 10 years ago. He noted that the theme for celebrating the anniversary amplifies UENR’s existence to train experts to solve critical energy and natural resources issues which are at the heart of the national development agenda. The Council Chairman on behalf of the University expressed profound gratitude to all statehooders whose support has brought the University this far. He, however, noted that the University would be able to achieve a lot of success when the infrastructural challenges faced are addressed. “our past has been very challenging due to inadequate teaching and learning facilities. To be able to admit and train more students, the University further appeals to the government to support the construction of inner roads on the various campuses of the University to appeal to and enhance the general image of the University, the Council Chairman stressed.
In his speech, Hon. Ignatius Baffuor Awuah, the Guest of Honour for the August occasion, lauded UENR on its achievements over the past decade. According to him, UENR has proven to be a promising University with higher prospects, which should be supported and strengthened to become an academic institution of excellence. He pledged his continuous support for the University and noted his readiness to be an ambassador to seek corporate support for the University’s course. He also disclosed that discussions are ongoing at the national level to run a medical school at UENR to augment the Bono Regional Hospital when it is upgraded to a teaching hospital.
The Minister also used the occasion to donate Gh¢150,000 seed money towards building the University Hospital project spearheaded by the 10th-anniversary Planning Committee. He also honoured his pledge to award the best Lecturer of the University (Mr. DeGraft Johnson Ankamah (Senior Lecturer, Department of Mathematics and Statistics), who received Gh¢20,000 and a laptop to support his teaching and research works.
Delivering the Keynote speech on behalf of the Minister of Education, Hon. Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Bono Regional Minister, Hon. Justina Owusu Banahene, congratulated the University and acknowledged its contribution to providing young people in the Country and beyond access to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education through its programmes. “Ghana is taking an important step forward in this commitment to sustainable development through STEM education by introducing STEM programmes, the country is well positioned to promote sustainable natural resources as well as provide access to quality education,” the Minister said.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Elvis Asare-Bediako in his address at the Grand Durbar said the strides made by UENR from a modest beginning of 154 students in 2012 to a current student population of 13,000 and an exponential increase in staff strength indicate the University’s contribution to impacting the world with knowledge and integrity as stated in the University motto.
He mentioned that the University endeavours to expand its academic programmes and double student intake within the next five years to allow the Ghanaian youth to receive tertiary education in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) if the infrastructural challenges facing the University are addressed. He said the lack of lecture halls, student and staff accommodation, laboratories and equipment hinders the university’s expedient growth. Despite these challenges, the VC noted that the achievements of UENR cut across national and international levels. He used the occasion to call on the government to come to the aid of the University.
Some of the dignitaries present to grace the colourful ceremony were Members of the University Council, the Foundation Vice-Chancellor, Prof. (Mrs) Esi Awuah, the Foundation Registrar, Mr. Andrews K. Boateng, the Second Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Harrison K. Dapaah, the Chairman of Vice-Chancellor’s Ghana (VCG), Professor Kwansah-Aidoo; Chiefs and Queen Mothers of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, representatives from the Corporate institutions, the clergy, representatives from sister universities, representatives from the Security Services as well as members of the University community including staff and students.
