Student Financial Aid Office receives from Ecobank

The Head of Branches and Channels of Ecobank Ghana Limited, Ms. Adobea Addo (middle) and Legon Branch Manageress, Mrs. Vivian Ahene-Affoh (second from left) making the presentation to Pro-Vice-Chancellor (ASA), Prof Samuel Offei. Looking on are, Mr. Charles Anobaah, from Ecobank (extreme left) and Mrs. Christine Baning, Head of SFAO

A three member delegation from Ecobank, Ghana Limited, has presented a cheque donation of GHC 50,000.00 to the Student Financial Aid Office (SFAO) for the 2015/16 academic year.

The Pro-Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic and Student Affairs, Prof. Samuel Kwame Offei and Chairman of the Student Financial Aid committee who received the donation on behalf of the University, expressed appreciation to Ecobank for the kind gesture. He noted that the University commits an appreciable amount of money to support students from needy backgrounds but was quick to add that over the years, there has been an upsurge in the number of students who benefit from the fund.

Prof. Offei hinted that the university is unable to meet the increasing demands due to limited resources and that donation from individuals and organisations have augmented the University’s support to students in need of financial aid. 

He thanked the Bank for sustaining the donation over the past five years and also for the fact that the value of their support has increased continually. He was hopeful that there would be continuous progressive increment in their support in subsequent years.

The Head of Branches and Channels of Ecobank Ghana Limited, Ms. Adobea Addo of Ecobank pledged her bank’s continuous partnership with the University of Ghana. She was also optimistic that the relationship between the bank and the University would continue to grow. According to her, it has always been Ecobank’s aim to be of support to the society and this has been the motivation and drive behind the Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility

The Branch Manageress of Ecobank Legon Branch, Mrs. Vivian Ahene-Affoh reiterated Ecobank’s willingness to continue partnering with the Students Financial Aid Office.

The Head of the SFAO, Mrs. Christine Baning thanked the bank for the donation, which she emphasized, would help alleviate financial constraints faced by brilliant and needy student beneficiaries. She recalled other ways in which Ecobank has partnered the University over the past years.

Also present at the ceremony were the Ecobank Reconciliation Officer, Mr. Charles Anobaah and Mr. Andrews Avumegah of UG-SFAO.      

UG Alumnus Lawrence Addo Donates to Students Financial Aid Office

Prof. Aryeetey in a handshake with Mr. Lawrence Addo

Mr. Lawrence Addo, an Alumnus of the University of Ghana and CEO of Relish Health Foods Ghana Ltd. has presented a cheque of GH¢50, 000 to the Students Financial Aid Office (SFAO). This is the fourth consecutive time within a period of 4 years that he has made such a donation. 

Receiving the donation on behalf of the University, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ernest Aryeetey acknowledged the consistency with which Mr. Addo has demonstrated his commitment to the university through his generous donations. He indicated that the University has had its fair share of challenges with regards to soliciting support from benefactors, adding that the university’s association with Mr. Lawrence Addo is one that it yearns to establish with other alumni. Prof. Aryeetey extended appreciation to him for his unflinching assistance, adding that the university looks forward to many more years of engagement. He also called on all alumni to imitate his kind gesture.

Mr. Lawrence Addo, on his part noted that his support to the Student Financial Aid Office was drawn out of the satisfaction he derives from supporting worthy causes.  As an alumnus of the University (Sociology/Political Science, 1978), he recalled that alumni were rallied to support the University in preparation for the University’s Golden Jubilee in 1998 and that is when he made his first major donation to support the construction of Jubilee Hall.  He promised to increase the donations in the near future as his business thrives.

The Pro-Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic and Student Affairs, Prof. Samuel Kwame Offei who is also the Chairman of the SFAO was thankful not only for the consistency of  the support from Mr. Addo, but also for the incremental value overtime. Addressing some difficulties faced by needy students, Prof. Offei mentioned that majority of such students struggle to support themselves by combining their academic work with undertaking other jobs such as on construction sites, in order to fend for themselves. He noted that due to limited resources, the university has not been able to cater for the increasing number of applications the SFAO receives which is why  such donations are greatly appreciated as they help finance such students through their tertiary education.

Mrs. Christine Baning, Head of the SFAO gave insight into Mr. Lawrence Addo’s support to the SFAO over the years, which started with GH¢12, 000 in the 2012/13 academic year, increasing to GH¢.20,000, then to GH¢25,000 and GH¢50,000 for the  2015/2016.

The Director of Public Affairs, Mrs. Stella Amoa expressed gratitude to Mr. Lawrence Addo for staying committed to his alma mater through donations to needy brilliant students of the University since the 2012/2013 academic year when he first made the initial contact with her.  

Also present at the meeting was Mrs. Maame Efua Ocansey, Fundraiser at the SFAO.

From left, Mrs. Stella A. Amoa, Director of Public Affairs, Prof. S. Kwame Offei, PRO-VC (ASA), Prof. Ernest Aryeetey, Vice-Chancellor, Mr. Lawrence Addo, CEO, Relish Ghana and Mrs. Christine Banning, Head SFAO

Prof. Gyapong Receives Delegation from IDRC/CIHR

The meeting in session

The Pro-Vice-Chancellor in charge of the Office of Research, Innovation and Development (ORID), Prof. John Gyapong has received a high profile delegation from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR). The delegation is visiting various projects and researchers funded by the two organisations with a view of understanding Canada’s support and investments in health in Africa.

The delegation comprised the President of IDRC, Dr. Jean Lebel and President of CIHR, Dr. Alain Beaudet as well as the Vice- President, Corporate Strategy and Communications of IDRC, Joanne Charette.

Prof. John Gyapong welcomed them to the University. He noted that the focus of ORID as far as research is concerned is to create a vibrant intellectual climate that stimulates cutting-edge research and community engagement. He added that in line with ORID’s efforts to systematically document research works, a research report has been developed for community engagement. This he said would give people an update on the developments in the university.

Some Faculty of the university who are embarking on research collaborations with the support of the two organisations briefed the meeting on their various projects. They were the Director of the Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies (IESS), Prof. Chris Gordon who briefed the meeting on the Adaptation at Scale in Semi-Arid Regions (ASSAR) project that IESS is embarking on as part of the IDRC/DFID CARIAA programme, Prof. Samuel Nii Ardey Codjoe, who spoke on the Deltas, Vulnerability and Climate Change: Migration and Adaptation (DECCMA) project and Dr. Patrick K. Arthur from the Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, whose research focus is on the discovery of the next generation of anti-biotics. Prof. Ama de-Graft Aikins, Vice-Dean of the Graduate School also briefed the delegation on a Mental health project that is assessing the services provided by Basic Needs Ghana. The Director of the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), Prof. Felix Asante, spoke on projects being undertaken by ISSER to strengthen collaboration between the University and international research institutes.

Prof. Gyapong also mentioned the International Research Chairs Initiative, facilitated by Prof. Anna Lartey. He said the project is focusing on improving childhood nutrition at the community level.

The discussions were interspersed with questions and contributions from the President of IDRC, Dr. Jean Lebel and President of CIHR, Dr. Alain Beaudet who pointed out efforts being made to scale up the research projects to ensure that they make a much bigger impact.

Also present at the meeting were the Provost of the College of Humanities, Prof. Samuel Agyei-Mensah, the Dean of the Business School, Prof. Joshua Abor, some Chairpersons of Research Boards of the Colleges and staff of ORID.                                    

UG Organizes Send-Off Ceremony for Retirees

Retired Senior Members in a group photograph with University officials

The University of Ghana has held a send-off ceremony for 150 staff who retired from the University in July 2015. The retired staff are made up of 37 Senior Members, 51 Senior Staff and 62 Junior Staff. 

Registrar, Mrs. Mercy Haizel-Ashia

The Registrar of the University, Mrs. Mercy Haizel-Ashia who delivered the welcome remarks noted that the ceremony is organized annually to acknowledge the sacrifices and contributions of the retirees towards the development of the University.

Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey

Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey in his address expressed his gratitude to the retirees for paying their dues to the university. He commended them for their service and loyalty and urged them to be involved in health and fitness activities to keep in shape. He also encouraged them to continue to lend their support to the university when called upon. Prof. Aryeetey, announced that unlike previous years the 2015 batch of retirees would receive their ex-gratia in full.

Representatives of staff associations delivering solidarity messages

(From Top Left Dr. Harry Agbanu, Mr. Alfred Quartey and Mr. Guma Zakariah, bottom)

There were solidarity messages form the various staff Associations. The Vice-President of the University Teacher’s Association (UTAG) , Dr. Harry Agbanu delivered a solidarity message on behalf of UTAG, while the message from the Ghana Association of University Administrators   (GAUA) was delivered by the President of GAUA, Mr. Alfred Quartey. The solidarity message from the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) was delivered by Mr. Guma Zakariah, secretary of TEWU.

Mr. E.K.A.Odoom,Vice-Chairman of the University of Ghana Pension Association

The Vice-Chairman of the University of Ghana Pension Association (UGPA), Mr. E.K.A.Odoom, congratulated the Pensioners for their years of dedicated service to the University. He called on the retirees to attend the meetings of the association, held on the first Thursday of every month. A minute silence was observed in remembrance of one of the retirees, Mrs. Ann Abena Cherie Ameh, formerly of the Department of Crop Science who passed on few weeks ago.

Dr. Nana Yaw Asare Yeboah, speaking on behalf of the retirees

On behalf of the retirees, Dr Nana Yaw AsareYeboah expressed appreciation to the University for a grand send-off.

Present at the get-together were the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the Office of Research, Innovation and Development (ORID), Prof. John Gyapong, the Dean of the School of Agriculture, Prof. John Ofosu Anim, the Director of Finance Mr. Richard Boapea, the Acting Director of the Human Resource and Organisational Development Directorate (HRODD), Mr. Daniel Baidoo, the Director of Public Affairs, Mrs. Stella A. Amoa as well as families of the retirees.

Retired Senior Staff in a group photograph with University officials

Retired Junior Staff in a group photograph with University officials

Joint Complementary Food Project Workshop Held

Participants in a group photograph after the workshop

The Department of Nutrition and Food Science has organized a joint complementary food project results dissemination workshop. The purpose of the workshop was to ascertain the efficacy and effectiveness of a complementary food supplement (KOKO Plus) in improving the nutritional status of Ghanaian infants aged 6 to 24 months, based on a research conducted in Ghana.

The Provost of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, Prof. Ebenezer Owusu who represented the Vice-Chancellor said the project has attracted several implementing partners to become a unique multi-lateral public-private partnership. He cited key indicators of the 2014 Ghana demographic and health survey which revealed that stunting is still prevalent among children in Ghana. Prof. Owusu also expressed concern about the prevalence of anemia, attributing it to the poor complementary foods given to infants. While lauding the collaborative partnership of the joint complementary food project, he said the approach was perfectly in tune with the university’s strategic vision of engaging with partners in research projects. He mentioned some key partnerships that have existed between the University and its Japanese partners, such as the establishment of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research. The Provost encouraged prospective partners with ideas and initiatives to engage the university in public-private partnerships.

The Head of the Nutrition Department of the Ghana Health Service, Mrs. Esi Amoafo who delivered the keynote address,emphasized the need to find lasting solutions to the problem of under nutrition among infants. She said this could be done by providing complementary food that is available, affordable, acceptable and safe to meet the growth needs of children. She cautioned that the period from pregnancy till a child attained 2 years is a critical period for adequate nutrition. Mrs. Amoafo noted that according to the Ghana Health Service, 1 out of every 5 children under the age of 5 suffers from stunting, which makes such children smaller than theirage group mates. She indicated that stunting is largely irreversible after the age of 2.  She further cited statistics from the Ghana Health Service which indicate that about 50% of death in children in developing countries including Ghana is attributable to malnutrition. She called for the establishment of integrated delivery systems and strategies, as well as social marketing and education campaigns to solve the problem.

Prof. Kwaku Tano-Debrah of the Department of Nutrition and Food Science who together with some partners conceived the Complementary Food Project idea noted the purpose of the workshop was to present and report to stakeholders the key findings and developments of the project based on a survey conducted in the Northern and Eastern regions. He thanked all the stakeholders who helped in the launching and implementation of the project. Speaking on the development and production of KOKO Plus, Prof.K.Tano-Debrah explained that KOKO plus is a high quality complementary food supplement with protein (containing the recommended amounts of all essential amino acids and micronutrients) which has been developed in a collaborative research study to address malnutrition in infants in Ghana. He pointed out that the nutritional efficacy and effectiveness of delivery channels of the product has been tested in different communities.

The Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Mr. Shigeru Umetsu spoke on the adverse effects of malnutrition as a significant indirect cause of child mortality. He indicated that the complementary food project is supported by the Ghana Health Service, NGOs, international agencies and the private sector. He said the Japanese government is delighted to lend its support to the project through Ajinomoto and has provided 2million dollars to support malnutrition globally. He commended workers at the Sunyani plant where KOKO Plus is produced for the good work.

Dr. Shibani Ghosh, from the International Nutrition Foundation (INF), who is one of the initiators of the project gave a graphical presentation on the effect of KOKO Plus on the growth pattern of Ghanaian infants. The presentation revealed the findings of a three arm community based randomized controlled intervention.

Another initiator of the project, Dr. Grant Aaron of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition,(GAIN) made a presentation at the workshop on marketing and distribution of KOKO Plus. He elaborated on this by making a comparison of two market-based approaches which were used in conducting a survey in the Northern and Eastern regions respectively.

Speaking on the way forward, the Director of Nutrition Improvement Projects at Ajinomoto, Dr Yasuhiko Toride spoke on the prospects and challenges in scaling up the nutrition project. He noted that the Ghana Nutrition Improvement Project is a multi-stakeholder, private-partnership project with the goal of establishing a “Social Business” model which is a sustainable business to solve social problems such as infant malnutrition in developing countries.He said that the scaling up could be achieved by having a close collaboration with the public sector such as the Ghana Health Service and NGOs to provide nutrition education to mothers in rural communities. Dr Yasuhiko Taride encouraged the consumption of KOKO Plus as it is both delicious, nutritious and at an affordable price. He recommended KOKO Plus as a healthy food supplement.

The Chairperson for the workshop was Prof. Matilda Steiner-Asiedu, Dean of the School of Biological Sciences.

There was a question and answer session and the audience asked some pertinent questions and also made some key contributions.

Representatives from the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Plan International, Care International, Yedent Agro Company Limited, University of Cape Coast (UCC), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the USAID who are partners on the project delivered remarks at the workshop.

EPI Scholarship Officials Visit UG

EPI scholarship beneficiaries in a group photograph with benefactors and SFAO officials

The Pro-Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs (ASA), Prof. Samuel Kwame Offei has received two officials from Educational Pathways International (EPI).  The two officials, Mrs. Sara LaFrance, President of EPI and her husband Mr. Leonard LaFrance were in the University to administer EPI scholarships to fresh student beneficiaries admitted into the University in the 2015/2016 academic year.

The meeting with EPI Officials in session

Prof. Offei, who is also the Chairperson of the Students Financial Aid Office Board conveyed his sincere gratitude on behalf of the university to the benefactors for their continuous support. He pledged the commitment of the university in ensuring that the scholarship scheme is viable and briefed them on some developments that were taking place in the University.

Mrs. Sara La Franc on her part, expressed appreciation to all those involved in the administration of the EPI funds. She revealed that some students who had been on the EPI scholarship and have graduated from the university are achieving great successes in their various fields such as medicine and accountancy, adding that some were also pursuing doctoral degrees.

The Head of the Students Financial Aid Office, Mrs. Christine Banning who is in charge of the management and disbursement of the funds to the students gave an update of current developments at the SFAO. She stated that the call for application and interviews for freshmen to enroll on the EPI scholarship for the 2015/2016 academic year had ended. Consequently, 13 students have been selected for the scholarship. She noted that the selected students were able to demonstrate their giftedness and capabilities through effective and articulate communication. Mrs. Banning also disclosed that 8 beneficiaries of the EPI scholarships graduated from the university last year while a total of 44 students are currently on the scholarship programme. In addition, she stated that 4 students are on probation and two have been taken off the programme due to their inability to meet the required cumulative grade point average.

Present at the meeting was the Director of Public Affairs, Mrs. Stella Amoa as well as Mrs. Maame Efua Ocansey, from the SFAO and Mr. Benedict Ofosu, the Assistant Registrar at the Office of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor.

Student beneficiaries at the lunch interaction at the University Guest Centre

An interaction was later held with the beneficiary students over lunch which was also attended by the Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. James Adomako and the Director the Counselling and Placement Centre, Mrs Jocelene Buckman.

Prof. Offei, Pro-VC (ASA) making a presentation to Mr. and Mrs. LaFrance

 

 

 

 

Delegation From Tianjin University Of Traditional Chinese Medicine Visits UG

The meeting in session

A 7-member delegation from the Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TUTCM) has paid a visit to the University of Ghana. The delegation, made up of Professors of Traditional Chinese Medicine were received by Prof. John Gyapong, Pro-Vice Chancellor in charge of the Office of Research, Innovation and Development (ORID).

The visit was held to advance the joint research programme on Research and Development of Medicinal Plants in Ghana between UG and TUTCM. The project is supported by the Chinese Ministry of Education and is being undertaken by the two institutions.

Welcoming the delegation, Prof. Gyapong noted that universities all over the world are learning to collaborate with one another due to the immense benefits derived from such collaborations. To this end, he said the University was committed to deepening the existing collaboration with the TUTCM.

A key issue during the discussions was the importance of the use of traditional medicines in Ghana.  Prof. Gyapong informed the delegation of the challenges Ghana is currently facing with regards to           introducing standardization for the use of herbal medicines. He stressed the need for traditional medicines to be standardized and approved in order to be beneficial.  He noted that with the establishment of a School of Pharmacy at the University as well as the Mampong Centre for Research into Plant Medicine, there is still more that needs to be done to improve on the study of herbal medicines in the university. He said the University of Ghana was ready to take advantage of the knowledge base and expertise on herbal medicine from China considering that China has a proven record of proficiency in the area of traditional medicines, in addition to establishing a university solely for that purpose.

Prof. Gyapong also encouraged the team to explore other medicinal plant resources in Accra and the country at large.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the Professor and Dean at the International Education College, TUTCM, Mr. Ying Senlin thanked Prof. Gyapong for the reception. He explained that apart from the Institution’s focus on traditional medicines, it is also poised to develop the TUTCM into a reputable international status hence the need to engage with the world’s top universities such as the University of Ghana.

Prof. Nyarko, Acting Dean of the School of Pharmacy expressed satisfaction at the collaboration between the University and the TUTCM and was optimistic of building stronger ties in future.

During discussions with the delegation, Prof. Gyapong pointed out the need to reflect on the achievements and outcomes of the collaboration between the University of Ghana and the TUTCM. He said the assessment of the collaboration was relevant to monitor progress and pitfalls over the last 5 years. Going forward, he emphasized that it is essential to deal with lapses that had emerged during the period of collaboration and also map out strategies for improvement.

Prof. Gyapong presented copies of the UG Research Report to the delegation to update them on research conducted in the university. He also received a presentation from the delegation.