Second round of intercollegiate debate ends at Legon

The second round of the Ghana Science Association Intercollegiate Debate which begun last week concluded over the weekend with the University of Ghana emerging as winners in a keenly competed event.

The event organised at the Centre for African Wetlands Department in the University of Ghana included the University of Ghana, Valley View University, the Central University College and Ashesi University College.

Dr Jemima Anderson of the English Department and the presiding judge, declared the results with the University of Ghana emerging with 82.5 points, followed by Ashesi University College with 77.5 points, Valley View University with 72 points and the Central University College bagging 63 points.

The competitors debated on themes including Oil exploration with it attendant environmental damage; natural resource discovery and its impact on a country's economic growth; the exploitation and exploration of natural resources and its challenges.

They also answered issues on Ghana's emerging oil and gas industry and its environmental concerns.

On the use of desalinated water, whiles some of the contestants were of the view that the process of desalinating seawater would generate brine water as its waste product and thus harm the aquatic life in the sea, others were of the view that such a plant would have a huge impact on the water needs in the society and that though it was expensive to construct; about 150 million dollars has already been signed for the construction of desalination plants for Tema and Accra.

This maiden debate organized by the Greater Accra Branch of the Ghana Science Association drew together eight universities during the first edition.

Dr Walter Affo, the Coordinator of the Association, said the four universities that competed would contest again in subsequent debates yet to be scheduled.

In attendance were the students from Ideal College in Madina.**