RE: Do our lecturers deserve research allowance?

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Ali Kameni 12 years ago

Anyone who has read a few of Awuni's articles online will notice some boastfulness and a lack of humility on his part. He is very quick to praise and overpraise himself. He is a young man whose so called success has gone into ...
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Anyone who has read a few of Awuni's articles online will notice some boastfulness and a lack of humility on his part. He is very quick to praise and overpraise himself. He is a young man whose so called success has gone into his head.

But the fact is that Awuni is not even an exceptional writer. He is very ordinary. I read his prize-winning articles to come to that conclusion. His other articles are not exceptional either. I have wondered at the standard of journalism in our country that counts him among the best.

He is also not humble at all. He complained once that his lecturers did not give him a First Class that he more than deserved. These days First Class rains down like a tropical downpour at Ghanaian universities. I read this recently: "One hundred and eight graduates received First Class Honours, while 115 graduated with Second Class Upper. The rest were: 116 graduates, Second Class Lower Division; 14 were given Third Class certificates; three were awarded passes and three, diploma certificates".

And I say my goodness!!! More than a 100 first class in just one institution! Almost everybody was given First Class or Second Upper which were the norm. In my day in Legon, there were no more than 20 First Class Honours in THE ENTIRE UNIVERSITY in a graduating year. Some departments did not even record a single first class degree in some years (like my graduating Economics year!). Only a few Second Uppers. But today is different. And that is the atmosphere in which Awuni couldn't make a first class!

Surely, a journalist should criticize even his former and present lecturers but it must be done with some decorum and on factual basis.
Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo 12 years ago

VVVVTHIS ARTICLE IS ENDORSED BY NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY OF GHANA LED BY NANA AKUFFO ADDO - A NOTED WEE SMOKER, WOMANIZER, PATAPAA AND A FAILED PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE..
FOLKS,SINCE COMING OUT I FEEL REAL GOOD NOW.FOR THOSE OF YOU ...
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VVVVTHIS ARTICLE IS ENDORSED BY NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY OF GHANA LED BY NANA AKUFFO ADDO - A NOTED WEE SMOKER, WOMANIZER, PATAPAA AND A FAILED PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE..
FOLKS,SINCE COMING OUT I FEEL REAL GOOD NOW.FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT LOVE TURUMU I MUST TELL YOU THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE MISSING.

IN SAN FRANCISCO, WE NUMBER OVER 1 MILLION. WE ARE NOT A MINORITY ANYMORE.

FOLKS, FOR THOSE OF YOU OUT THERE WHO ARE AFRAID TO COME OUT, THE TIME IS NOW .NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFFO ADDO'S COMMENTS ARE FREE AND BALANCED

NPP Headquarters,
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Accra-North, Ghana

Phone
• +233 (0) 302 26 42 88
+233 (0) 302 26 43 28
+233 (0) 302 26 43 29
+233 (0) 302 26 43 34
+233 (0) 302 26 43 35

• Fax
+233 30 2229 048

• Email
info@newpatrioticparty.org
• nppdcom@gmail.com

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
National
nppnpp18
Office: Presidential Candidate
Year In Office: 2012
Gender: Male
Facebook: www.facebook.com/nadaa2012

Website: akufoaddo2012.com

Short Biography:
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

He graduated from the University of Ghana in 1967 with a B.Sc in Economics. Nana trained as a lawyer in England and was called to the English Bar (Middle Temple) in 1971 and the Ghanaian Bar in 1975.

Under President Kufuor, Nana served as the Attorney-General and Minister for Foreign Affairs. He was the flagbearer of the party in the 2008 elections and was again elected in 2010 to be the flagbearer of the party in the upcoming 2012 elections.

VVV
Abdul 12 years ago

Awuni is a young journalist and luck experience, he should be humble and try to research. I do however agree that prof. should apply for the research allowance to enable the funds to go to those who actually need it for resea ...
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Awuni is a young journalist and luck experience, he should be humble and try to research. I do however agree that prof. should apply for the research allowance to enable the funds to go to those who actually need it for research.
NANA AKUFFO ADDO 12 years ago

I ENDORSE TRUMU WAR...

I NANA AKUFFO ADDO HAVE COME OUT OPENLY TO DECLARED MY HOMOSEXUALITY...THAT I SLEEP WITH MEN AND WOMEN...I HAVE DONE CHILDREN TOO. I LOVE BIG WOMEN'S ASS.
THIS ARTICLE IS ENDORSED BY NEW PATRIOTIC P ...
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I ENDORSE TRUMU WAR...

I NANA AKUFFO ADDO HAVE COME OUT OPENLY TO DECLARED MY HOMOSEXUALITY...THAT I SLEEP WITH MEN AND WOMEN...I HAVE DONE CHILDREN TOO. I LOVE BIG WOMEN'S ASS.
THIS ARTICLE IS ENDORSED BY NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY OF GHANA LED BY NANA AKUFFO ADDO - A NOTED WEE SMOKER, WOMANIZER, PATAPAA AND A FAILED PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE..
FOLKS,SINCE COMING OUT I FEEL REAL GOOD NOW.FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT LOVE TURUMU I MUST TELL YOU THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE MISSING.

IN SAN FRANCISCO, WE NUMBER OVER 1 MILLION. WE ARE NOT A MINORITY ANYMORE.

FOLKS, FOR THOSE OF YOU OUT THERE WHO ARE AFRAID TO COME OUT, THE TIME IS NOW .NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFFO ADDO'S COMMENTS ARE FREE AND BALANCED

NPP Headquarters,
Private Mail Bag,
Accra-North, Ghana

Phone
• +233 (0) 302 26 42 88
+233 (0) 302 26 43 28
+233 (0) 302 26 43 29
+233 (0) 302 26 43 34
+233 (0) 302 26 43 35

• Fax
+233 30 2229 048

• Email
info@newpatrioticparty.org
• nppdcom@gmail.com

Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo AddoXXXX
Koo 12 years ago

I have never been able to read any of his articles to the end. He doesn't construct good english sentences. He writes like he is chatting with friends. Somebody should point out to him that "researches" is not an english word ...
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I have never been able to read any of his articles to the end. He doesn't construct good english sentences. He writes like he is chatting with friends. Somebody should point out to him that "researches" is not an english word.
princewilly@ymail.com 12 years ago

Once upon a time a little bunny rabbit sat in the forest, typing away furiously at a typewriter. A fox walked up and asked the rabbit what he was doing. "I am writing a thesis," came the reply.

"Interesting," said the fox, ...
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Once upon a time a little bunny rabbit sat in the forest, typing away furiously at a typewriter. A fox walked up and asked the rabbit what he was doing. "I am writing a thesis," came the reply.

"Interesting," said the fox, "do you have a title?"

"No, but I have a topic, Rabbits are the most important animals in the forest." The fox laughed. The rabbit said: "OK, just follow me down to my borough and I will demonstrate."

So off they went into the rabbit's borough. A little while later, the rabbit reappeared, by himself, and went back to his typing.

Sometime later, a wolf came by and asked the bunny what he was doing. "I am writing a thesis."

"Interesting," said the wolf, "do you have a title?"

"Oh yes," replied the rabbit, "my title is The Rabbit: Master of the Forest." The wolf was incredulous, he laughed and laughed. He could not believe that anyone could have a thesis with such a preposterous title. Plus, it meant that the puny rabbit was master over the powerful wolf. What a joke. He asked the rabbit for a scientific proof. Again, the rabbit invited the doubter into his borough. Again, the rabbit came back up a few minutes later, without the wolf, and resumed typing.

Sometime later, a man walked by, saw the rabbit hard at work, and asked the bunny what he was doing.
The reply came: "I am writing a thesis."

"Interesting," said the man, "what is your field and area?"

"It is an easy one," replied the rabbit, "my field is the demonstrable superiority of rabbits over all creatures in the forest."

The man had a good laugh about it and demanded the rabbit prove to him how it was so. The rabbit said "Come down to my borough and I shall show you." So down they went into the borough where the rabbit lived. The man looked around and saw a pile of fox bones in one corner, and a pile of wolf bones in another corner. He turned around, and saw that there was a big lion behind him smacking its lips.

The Moral of the Story

It does not matter what the topic of your thesis is.
It does not matter what the title of your thesis is.
The only thing that matters is who your advisor is.
Abdul 12 years ago

Wiseman

Wiseman
Bogasta 12 years ago

Hmmmm. Let him bite the very fingers that fed him. Because of the small award he won that took him to US,he thinks he has grown wings. He thinks writing scholarly publications is like his plagiarized GYEEDA report.

Hmmmm. Let him bite the very fingers that fed him. Because of the small award he won that took him to US,he thinks he has grown wings. He thinks writing scholarly publications is like his plagiarized GYEEDA report.
MCKAY 12 years ago

Makarios Akanbong on akanbong1@yahoo.com. Hope you're fine buddy.

Makarios Akanbong on akanbong1@yahoo.com. Hope you're fine buddy.
Sakura 12 years ago

Let them publish in a respected journal to justify earning the allowance.

Let them publish in a respected journal to justify earning the allowance.

keen observer 12 years ago

Mr. Awuni did not do his research before pouring out his emotions.

Go to Elsevier, Hinari, Africaonline, etc., you will see good quality published materials from Ghanaian university lecturers.

Mr. Awuni did not do his research before pouring out his emotions.

Go to Elsevier, Hinari, Africaonline, etc., you will see good quality published materials from Ghanaian university lecturers.
Owusu Acheaw 12 years ago

Hmmm..... Frankly, I think many lecturers are silent because like me, I do not think this diatribe deserves attention!
Unfortunately, this silence is taken for lack of argument by so many people who are not capable of readin ...
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Hmmm..... Frankly, I think many lecturers are silent because like me, I do not think this diatribe deserves attention!
Unfortunately, this silence is taken for lack of argument by so many people who are not capable of reading between the lines...

Did anyone hear Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa say on Joy FM that Polytechnic Lecturers are receiving more Book & Research Allowances than Univ. Lecturers because the poly lecturers have "historically been receiving less salary"? Yes, the so-called Book & Res. Allowances are not meant for Research! Ask the Govt: It has been part of their salaries! It is hedged as allowances so that on the gov'ts own suggestion some time ago!

Does anyone know that the Research Allowance is a paltry &700 p.a.? It cannot even pay for subscription of good journals! Some high quality journals charge as much as $500 per article averagely before publishing articles.

Why are successive governments continuing to pay Book & R. allowances if they know they are not put to good use? Are they complicit in this supposed waste of resources?

Again, are people suggesting that because "they cannot see" people's res. output, there is no research going on? That is an ostrich mentality! I can't see, therefore it does not exist? Are people expecting research output in newspapers or television items? How many people even know of the main journals in the main fields of study? I challenge Mr. Awuni to take the top ten journals of his field and find how many Ghanaian lecturers are published in it and see if he will not revise his notes, or at least feel ashamed if he has a conscience!

The bare truth is that Lecturers and Academics MUST publish, with or without this joke of Book & R. allowances (or Perish), and they do! Find out the criteria for appointment and promotion of academic staff of Universities in Gh.... and u will note that the longest anyone can stay without publishing in peer-reviewed journals is 6 yrs!
Zoobie-Zoobie 12 years ago

Do you know the amount for University and Poly lecturers? Thanks

Do you know the amount for University and Poly lecturers? Thanks
OwusuAcheaw 12 years ago

@ Zoobie-Zoobie: Indeed, I do. My info is as current as 15th July, 2013.

For "University Lecturers":
Book Allowance: $700
Research Allowance: GH C500 (yes, Ghana cedis)

For Polytechnics
Book Allowance : $ 1500 for L ...
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@ Zoobie-Zoobie: Indeed, I do. My info is as current as 15th July, 2013.

For "University Lecturers":
Book Allowance: $700
Research Allowance: GH C500 (yes, Ghana cedis)

For Polytechnics
Book Allowance : $ 1500 for Lecturers, $1000 for Instructors
Book Allowance GHC 400 and GHC 300 respectively for Lecturers and Instructors
Rans F 12 years ago

How could you be so sure that they are not publishing in respected journals? Not every lecturer or researcher wants to publish in open access journals that demand anything from US$ 400 to US$ 3500 from authors for a manuscrip ...
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How could you be so sure that they are not publishing in respected journals? Not every lecturer or researcher wants to publish in open access journals that demand anything from US$ 400 to US$ 3500 from authors for a manuscript. In the developed world such fees are borne by the author's institution! Are our Unis adequately resourced to foot such bills from individual lecturers, even for one publication per lecturer in a year? Accordingly, most of them will opt for subscription based journals. You need to pay to those journals to access their work. Sometimes I get amazed at the level of ignorance of some of these Columnists. If you want to know whether Ghanaian lecturers are publishing in respected journals find out from those journals or do some 'Googling' on those lecturers. It takes a lot of time and sometimes one needs to pay money to do just that! It is one thing being a lecturer and/or a researcher in Ghana. It is something else, being constantly bashed by ignorant pseudo-political functionaries (of visionless governments) parading as Columnists!
Owusu Acheaw 12 years ago

I support this call for pooling of Book and Res. Allowances so people can apply for them.
This has been proposed, weighed by govts, and they have rejected it!
Why is it not being pursued? That way, the budget for research ...
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I support this call for pooling of Book and Res. Allowances so people can apply for them.
This has been proposed, weighed by govts, and they have rejected it!
Why is it not being pursued? That way, the budget for research will be borne by govt and my research budget will definitely be more than $700.

The status quo remains because the govt can pretend to be resourcing people for research, and take credit for some of the research activities when in reality, it's doing nothing!

Ask any researcher and s/he will tell you that s/he either gets sponsorship from external bodies or funds it him/herself!

Let's get serious as a nation!
Rans F 12 years ago

We need people like you to educate ignorant Columnists like Awuni!

We need people like you to educate ignorant Columnists like Awuni!
Zoobie-Zoobie 12 years ago

for uni lecturers and poly lecturers

for uni lecturers and poly lecturers
OwusuAcheaw 12 years ago

$700 and GHC 500 respectively for Book and Research Allowances respectively for University Senior Members

$1500 and $1000 Book Allowance for Polytechnic Lecturers and Instructors respectively,

GHC 400 and GHC 300 Res. ...
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$700 and GHC 500 respectively for Book and Research Allowances respectively for University Senior Members

$1500 and $1000 Book Allowance for Polytechnic Lecturers and Instructors respectively,

GHC 400 and GHC 300 Res. ALlowance respectively for Polytechnic Lecturers and Instructors.

These are the figures the govt. is agreeing to pay.

Their argument? That the Polytechnic Lecturers have HISTORICALLY been receiving lower SALARY than their Univ. counterparts.

So who says Res. & Book allowances are solely for Research? And Mr. Awuni know this?
Kofi AA 12 years ago

Just two African proverbs for Mr Awuni to ponder.
The significance of your buttocks will never occur to you till the day you have a boil on one of them.

A head filled with pride has no room for wisdom.

I hope he applie ...
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Just two African proverbs for Mr Awuni to ponder.
The significance of your buttocks will never occur to you till the day you have a boil on one of them.

A head filled with pride has no room for wisdom.

I hope he applies to be an academic (that is, to teach and do research) in a public university in Ghana so he learns what it takes to maintain his contract and get tenure (that is, if he ever gets one). Empty barrels they say, makes the most noise.

Zara 12 years ago

They do not do research, purchase text books or go conferences so why should they deserve the allowers. I feel sad for the college students in Ghana.

They do not do research, purchase text books or go conferences so why should they deserve the allowers. I feel sad for the college students in Ghana.
Kofi AA 12 years ago

Zara, if you have nothing to write then just don't write. Do you keep a register of research, text books and conferences attended by academics in the universities in Ghana? Get some education. For starters, who are 'college s ...
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Zara, if you have nothing to write then just don't write. Do you keep a register of research, text books and conferences attended by academics in the universities in Ghana? Get some education. For starters, who are 'college students' in Ghana?
km agyin 12 years ago

One ignorant fool Mr.Awuni is

One ignorant fool Mr.Awuni is
MCKAY 12 years ago

Makarios Akanbong on akanbong1@yahoo.com. Where have you been hiding buddy?

Makarios Akanbong on akanbong1@yahoo.com. Where have you been hiding buddy?

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RE: Do our lecturers deserve research allowance?

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