My Administration Will Work with UTAG-UCC – Vice-Chancellor

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, has reiterated his administration’s continuous commitment to work with the leadership of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) branch of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG-UCC). “My administration will continuously work with UTAG-UCC to champion academic freedom. I encourage UTAG-UCC to always let us discuss issues. If we jaw-jaw, blows will never have a place,” he said. Prof. Ampiah was speaking at the handover and swearing-in ceremony of newly-elected executives of UTAG-UCC at the Main Auditorium. He advised the new executives to work beyond reproach and maintain the long-standing collaboration that exist between management and the Association. “They (old executives) did not sink the boat, so the boat is still floating. Therefore, we expect that the incoming ones will keep the boat afloat,” said the Vice-Chancellor, who swore the new executives into office. Prof. Ampiah called for a conducive academic freedom between faculty and students geared towards teaching, learning and research. He, however, cautioned: “Leave all other freedoms where it belongs and don’t confuse academic freedoms with other freedoms”. Whilst congratulating the new executives, he urged them to let their impact be felt in their new roles, wishing the immediate past executives well in their future endeavours. For his part, the president of UTAG-UCC, Dr. Eric Opoku Mensah, expressed gratitude to members of the Association for the confidence reposed in the new executives and pledged to work hard to justify such trust for the betterment of the Association. He gave an assurance that his administration would cooperate with management to achieve a common purpose for the forward march of the University. Dr. Opoku Mensah appealed to management to take a second look at the issues of promotion of its members, annual leave matters, timing for the orientation of newly appointed lecturers, among others. The immediate past President of UTAG-UCC, Prof. Kwame Osei Kwarteng, expressed gratitude to management and members of the Association for their support during his tenure. He implored the new members not to erode the gains made by successive executives and also urged them to work hard to consolidate the remarkable feats they had inherited. The ceremony was chaired by Mr. Emmanuel Abole, a Senior Lecturer at the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences. The new executives are Dr. Eric Opoku Mensah (President), Dr. Eunice Fay Amissah (Vice-President), Dr. Bert Boadi-Kusi (Secretary) and Dr. Kojo Okyere (Treasurer).