Release Arrears Owed Us ―UG Vice Chancellor Begs G’vt

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana (UG), Professor Ebenezer Oduro Owusu has called on the government of Ghana to release arrears of subvention due the institution for the past decade.

According to the vice chancellor, funding has become a major challenge impeding the effective running of the university of Ghana.

He made this appeal at the launch of the university’s 70th anniversary held in Accra, last Tuesday.

Prof Ebenezer Oduro Owusu said for a decade now, its subvention from the government has been slashed to 43 per cent of the required amount.

“The government of Ghana remains the major funder but its support has dwindled from more than 90% of our budget to just over 43% covering only a monument subvention,” the vice chancellor said.

He continued: “In the past, the government of Ghana supported the university by releasing funds on block, which covered monument subvention, administration and investments for a period of five years allowing the university to do long-term planning.”

In spite of government’s failure to give them what was due them, Prof Oduro Owusu said the university has jumped above the hurdles to attain visible successes.

He said the university has been able to manage challenges of overcrowding both in academic and residential facilities as well as inadequate teaching faculties.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Education, Mr Matthew Opoku Prempeh has re-affirmed government’s commitment to provide the needed infrastructure and equipment that would enable the university absorb the expected increase in potential students currently benefitting from the free SHS programme.

“Government has started the necessary stakeholder confrontations to ensure that we prepare adequately to receive the products of the free Senior High School Programme, into our tertiary institutions in a couple of years,” the minister said.

“I urge leaders of our tertiary institutions to indicate to the ministry their plans on how the expected increase in students’ numbers would be handled,” Mr Opoku Prempeh added.

Launch of Anniversary

The year-long celebration is expected to ride on the theme “Celebrating Excellence, Shaping Futures.”

All activities of the anniversary are geared towards garnering funds for the university’s Endowment Fund which would be launched in March.

The “University of Ghana Endowment Fund” is in line with the institution’s objective of becoming a research intense university.

By: Grace Ablewor Sogbey/ [email protected]