Ghana inducts her second female Vice Chancellor

Ghana on Saturday inducted her second female Vice Chancellor into office at the inauguration of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) at Fiapre in the Brong-Ahafo Region.

She is Professor Mrs Esi Awuah, the first Vice Chancellor of UENR, one of the universities established under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Government. The other university is in the Volta Region.

Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, immediate past Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) was the first female Vice Chancellor in the country.

The investiture of Professor Esi Awuah was performed by Professor Aba Bentil Andam, Chairman of the University Council, who also administered the Oath of Office.

Professor Daniel Obeng-Ofori was also inducted into office as the Pro-Vice Chancellor and Mr Andrews Kwasi Boateng, as the first Registrar of UENR.

Matriculation of the first batch of 154 students, made up of 128 males and 26 females took place with Professor Esi Awuah administering the Matriculation Oath.

Eighty-one of the students made up of 73 males and eight females would undertake courses in Renewable Natural Resources, while 73 students made up of 55 males and 18 females would undertake courses in Renewable Energy Engineering.

The UENR was established by an Act of Parliament, Act 830, 2011 on December 31, 2011 with the authority to award its own degrees and diplomas.

Its aims are to provide higher education, disseminate knowledge related to energy and natural resources, undertake research and foster collaborations with persons in the country and institutions outside the country.

The university’s vision is to become a world class institution for generating, advancing and applying knowledge in energy and natural resources.

When fully operational, the University would have six schools for Engineering, Sciences, Geosciences, Agriculture and Technology, Natural Resources and Graduate Studies.

The University would also have three campuses located in Sunyani, Nsoatre and Dormaa Ahenkro, and four field training stations at Mim, Brosankro and Nkyeraa for the Agriculture and Forest Resources Management students and one at Bui for Engineering students.

It hopes to become a centre of excellence for the training of scientists and technologians for Ghana and beyond.