Former Vice-Chancellor Prof. George Benneh Donates Books To Balme Library

Prof. George Benneh and his wife (both seated). Looking on are staff of the Balme Library.

A former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. George Benneh has presented a collection of books to the Balme Library at a brief ceremony. The presentation totalled two hundred and fifty-seven books from his personal collection, which cut across several disciplines.

Prof. Ellis Badu, the University Librarian receiving the books from Prof. George Benneh

The Acting University Librarian, Prof. Ellis Badu expressed his sincere appreciation to Prof. Benneh for the presentation. He pledged proper maintenance and safekeeping of the books while assuring him that the books will benefit students from across all disciplines as they would be easily accessible. He added that the books would be preserved and conserved for generations yet unborn.

Prof. George Benneh making remarks at the presentation

Prof. Benneh, in remarks at the ceremony, said as a former Vice-Chancellor of the University, he is proud that the University of Ghana has been ranked the 7th best University in the whole of Africa. He commended Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey for the feat achieved and emphasised the need for the University to work towards attaining the enviable first position. Prof. Benneh underscored the role that the Balme Library can play to make this a reality, by enhancing its function as a good reference and research library. He further called on faculty members of the university to intensify publication of their research papers and books.

Prof. Benneh recalled that in times past, research papers and books for students used to be published outside the shores of Ghana, citing Cambridge and Oxford universities as examples. He stressed on the need to revamp the Ghana Universities Press to enable it perform this function. 

While expressing the hope that the donated books would be made available to other libraries outside Ghana through the library exchange programme for the benefit of students abroad, he also called on the Balme Library to ensure that copies of all PhD theses presented by students of the University of Ghana are well-kept in the Library.

Some titles of the books donated by Prof. Benneh were; Fighting For Freedom, Energy And Ghana’s Socio-Economic Development, Technology Should Seek Tradition, Gender: Evolving Roles And Perceptions, Harnessing Research, Science And Technology For  Sustainable Development In Ghana, Women And Development In The Third World, European Review, Ghana @ 50 Anniversary Lectures, Philosophy And Human Geography: An Introduction To Contemporary Approaches, Population Dynamics of Kenya.

The ceremony was witnessed by staff of the Balme Library.