Don't be mislead into dangerous activities

September 8, 2008 Centre Spread

Story: Musah Yahaya Jafaru
THE Chairman of Council of the University of Ghana, Legon, Mr Tony Oteng-Gyasi, has cautioned the youth, especially students, against being allowed to be used by politicians in furtherance of “illegal and dangerous electoral activity” such as violence in any form and unlawful demonstrations in the December 7 general election.
He said too often, the youth had been misled into dangerous activities during elections, with some of them losing their limbs or lives in the process “only to find the so-called leaders and instigators of the opposing factions cosying up to one another later on with scant memory of the pain and anguish they inflicted on their young supporters”.
Mr Oteng-Gyasi was speaking at the 60th anniversary matriculation of the University of Ghana, Legon, at the weekend.
Out of the 22,865 applications, 11,700 were admitted to pursue various programmes. At the postgraduate level, 1,352 students gained admission, while 1,739 were admitted to the Distance Learning Programme. The Accra City Campus registered 1,479 students.
A Bachelor of Science Administration (BSc. Admin.) student, Ms Monica Mawuena Kukah, who signed the matricula??? on behalf of her colleagues, asked the university to focus more on career-oriented programmes.
In an apparent reference to recent political trouble in the northern part of the country, Mr Oteng-Gyasi urged the youth to rather involve themselves in legitimate electoral activity, since those selfish politicians only inflicted pain on them by prodding them on to indulge in all manner of unlawful deeds.
“For your sake, and the sake of the parents and guardians who have sacrificed in order for you to obtain university education, and for the sake of the taxpayers of this country whose taxes enable you to study here, please, do not become pawns in anyone’s political game”, he demanded of the youth.
He again reminded the youth that the country needed them in more important roles than as “electoral violence cannon fodder”.
Welcoming the students on campus, Mr Oteng-Gyasi asked them to enjoy the euphoria of being in the university, but asked them to settle down as soon as possible and be serious with their studies.
“If your neglect your studies, you create for yourself a situation in which you might be tempted to cheat in examination or take part in illegal activity, hoping to postpone the examination,” he said.
“Such action could easily jeopardise your future. Do not be tempted. Instead, use your time profitably,” he stressed.
Mr Oteng-Gyasi reminded the students that they were the future leaders, and the university was meant to train them into adulthood.
He also advised the students to observe the rules and regulations governing the university, especially the rules governing examinations and any other academic papers.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof C. N. B. Tagoe, said the university was once again faced with a ‘painful task’ of having to turn down the applications of many otherwise qualified applicants, due to constraints on facilities and staff.
He said the Distance Education Programme, which started last year, was thriving and attracting more and more applications.
Prof Tagoe said the university had admitted 153 students from less-endowed schools as listed by the Ghana Education Service (GES), and indicated that those students were exempted from the payment of the academic facility user fees.
He said the Students Financial Aid Office, established in the 2005/6 academic year to assist brilliant, needy students in their academic pursuit, has since then given aid to 550 students.
He announced the institution of three new scholarships in the university — the Education Pathways International (USA), All Nations Education Scholarships (USA) and Tertiary Education Scholarship Trust (TEST for Ghana) (Oxford).
Prof. Tagoe said past years had seen efforts at expansion and improvement in academic and residential facilities, and said that the Law Faculty, the Physics Laboratory and the Balme Library’s extensions were close to completion.