Vandals inducts new national executives

Accra, May 2, GNA - The Old Vandal Association (OVA), the alumni of the Commonwealth Hall of the University of Ghana on Tuesday sworn in Alhaji Razak El-Alawa, as its President for a fixed term of two years.

Other executive members include Mr Isaac Nketiah Sarpong, Vice President, Mr Kwame Takyi, Secretary, Mr Francis Avornotse, Vice Secretary, Clement Apaak, Organiser and Mr Owusu Donkor, Treasurer. Justice Jones Dotse, a Supreme Court Judge and a Vandal, who inducted the new executives at the third induction ceremony in Accra, urged them to ensure that they criticise students of the hall when they go wrong.

He said: 93You must call them to order when they misbehave to show that we do not only intervene for them." Justice Dotse called on members to support the new crop of executives to move the image and integrity of the association higher. He said there were so many impostors claiming to be vandals in the university community, noting that this should reawaken the urgency of knowing each other.

He advised members of the OVA to be discipline since it was the key to success and engage themselves in all university activities. Dr Percival Kuranchie, Founding President of the OVA, charged the new leaders to take a look into the structure and organisation of the Vandals' Day celebration since it was characterised with unaccepted activities by students of the hall.

He said some students have taken the celebration as an excuse not to attend lecturers, noting that 93studying is the most important reason why you (students) are in the university". He entreated them to organise periodic lecturers on topics such as 93vandalism and its importance" because vandals were supposed to be protective of each other.

Alhaji El-Alawa, in a speech said: 93I promise to continue in the tradition and l am sure you will give me all the necessary support to move our great association forward in the next couple of years." He said all over the world alumni associations were formed to contribute significantly to the development of their alma mater through donations and sponsorships.

He urged V-mates (members) to join hands as one body to contribute to the growth and development of the University of Ghana. Alhaji El-Alawa appealed to members to turn over a new leaf and rededicate themselves to the progress of the association. He also appealed to students of the commonwealth hall to exercise maximum restraint whenever they felt aggrieved. "You must try as much as possible not to take the law into your hands but should rather seek redress through various channels available=85," he added.

He called on them to prove to the outside world that even though "we call ourselves vandals, we are not destroyers but we only try to fight for our rights".