Work on biggest theatre at Legon to commence

The Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama on Tuesday cut a sod to commence work on the establishment of the biggest lecture and examination theatre at the University of Ghana, Legon.

The project with a 1,500 sitting capacity forms part of the Ghana Commercial Bank's initiatives to commemorate its 50th Anniversary. It is expected to be completed within the next three years.

Alhaji Aliu said the gesture was timely since the present lecture structures of the University with a capacity of 800 had been over stretched beyond its optimal capacity.

He said the move by the bank was a reciprocal one since the University had been responsible for the manpower training of its personnel adding, "the bank owes Legon".

Alhaji Aliu commended the Bank for its tremendous contribution towards national development by allowing nationalism to override commercial and business dictates when it provided financial assistance for the importation of crude oil.

He said as much as the Bank was held in high esteem, it was important to note that nationalism and patriotism in today's global world of stiff competition could not guarantee success and profitability.

He therefore, urged the Bank to adopt good work habits in the face of stiff competition in the global world to become internationally competitive and a successful banking institution.

Prof Kwadwo Asenso-Okyere, Vice Chancellor, University of Ghana said there had been a phenomenal increase in the number of students without commensurate expansion in facilities.

He said currently 18,000 students were being accommodated on the main campus while 2,000 others who were on an external degree programme were outside the campus.

Prof Asenso-Okyere said there had been instances where students took lectures outside because of inadequate space, adding, "the scramble for space could compromise learning and affect the performance of students since it enhanced the possibility of examination malpractices."

He said the project, which also has an examination hall with a 300 sitting capacity, would help resolve some of the problems regarding space at the University. Prof. Asenso-Okyere appealed to the Vice President to support the newly established faculty of Engineering Science, which would take its first batch of students at the beginning of the 2003/2004 academic year.

He also urged government to respond quickly to the proposal submitted by the University Authority seeking adjustment in the salary structure of the University lecturers so that it could attract and retain highly qualified staff needed to ensure quality education.

Prof Asenso-Okyere said the future of higher education hanged in the balance because over 45 per cent of the teaching and research staff were beyond 50 years, yet it had been a daunting task to recruit the young ones due to the nature of service conditions offered them.

Mrs. Matilda Obeng-Asong, Managing Director, GCB said so far the bank had donated one billion cedis as part it's social responsibility policy in the area of education, health, youth development and sports and environment.

She said the assistance was to help the University boost its infrastructure base to enable easy training of students to produce the needed human resource capacity of the nation.