Erratic power supply crippling academic work – Vice-Chancellor
Professor Akwasi Asabere-Ameyaw, Vice Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), has complained about the erratic power supply to public academic institutions and said this is crippling their operation.
Frequent power interruption, he noted, was undermining productivity and seriously affecting academic work in the universities.
He therefore appealed to the government to act quickly to tackle the challenge and improve things.
Addressing the 19th congregation of the College of Technology Education of the University in Kumasi, Prof Asabere-Ameyaw said while some of the universities were trying to augment electricity supply with generators, this was not being helped by the high cost of fuel.
A total of 2,521 students graduated and received Masters and Bachelor degrees.
Prof Asabere-Ameyaw spoke about growing unemployment and said it presented an explosive situation which needed urgent attention to prevent imminent catastrophe.
He appealed to the graduates to do whatever they were supposed to do with precision – they should be hard working, develop right attitudes and to be time conscious.
Okofo Amoako Abondam III, Paramount Chief of Enyan-Maim Traditional Area, who is the Council Chairman, advised them to hold firm to the key employable skills, competencies, attitudes and orientation they have been exposed to.
At another ceremony at the College of Agriculture Education of the University, at Asante-Mampong, 8,518 students graduated and Prof Asabere-Ameyaw expressed discomfort with the dwindling support in investment from government and other external partners.
In 2012/2013 academic year, donor support to the University was in excess of $1 million but this dropped sharply to US$727,240 in 2013/2014, a reduction of about 32 per cent.
He put its funding requirement based on the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) norms for providing quality education at about GH¢566 million but said its income was GH¢190 million leaving a funding gap of close to 70 per cent.
The Vice Chancellor announced the setting up of research and innovation fund to promote research and innovation activities.
Nine hundred (900) of the students graduated with Masters Degree and eight others Doctor of Philosophy (PhDs).
Source: GNA