General News of Monday, 31 March 2014

Source: Al-Hajj

Legon VC Gets 2nd Term

University of Ghana Vice Chancellor Prof Ernest Aryeetey has been re-appointed for a second term in Office. His first tenure ends in July this year.

Prof Aryeetey’s re-appointment was decided at the University Council’s meeting on Thursday March 27, 2014.

His first tenure has seen him introduce some policy decisions which in his view would transform the state University into a world class tertiary school.

Among some of such policies is a feeding programme for students which saw some opposition from the student body and was therefore put on hold pending review.

Prof Aryeetey has also abolished the ‘perching’ system where students without residences on campus shared accommodation space with their colleagues. He scrapped that system as part of a decongestion exercise in the halls of residence.

The University’s bad roads have also been fixed with a loan facility under his leadership. He introduced a controversial road tolling system toward recouping the loan for repayment but Government intervened to stop the tolling with a promise to absorb the charges.

The National Security, at a point, demolished the school’s toll booth which it claimed was causing nuisance to commuters.

Recently, the University also introduced another policy toward ensuring serenity on campus by closing all its entrances, except the Okponglo entrance, to traffic. The other entrances are reserved for commuters with a special University sticker sold at Ghc400 per annum. The policy, according to the University is aimed at avoiding the use of the campus as thoroughfare.

Additionally, Prof Aryeetey’s tenure has seen an upsurge in security on campus at the halls of residences and also on campus in general.

Academically, he is phasing out all diploma programmes with the intention of focusing the University’s attention on research work.