UEW honours Kufuor with Doctorate Degree

• Posted on August 17, 2015August 17, 2015
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The University of Education, Winneba (UEW) on Friday honoured former President John Agyekum Kufuor with an Honorary Doctorate Degree.

Three other distinguished personalities – Rev. Dr Livingstone K. Buama, former acting chairman of the Council of the University of Education, Winneba; Alhaji Gibrine Adam,  chief executive officer of EPP Books and President of Zenith University College and Prof. Michael Shattock of the University of London, United Kingdom – were also honoured for their contribution towards the promotion of education and their commitment towards the cause of humanity.

The same university last year conferred a similar honour on former President Jerry John Rawlings.

Mr Kufuor granted the Winneba University full autonomy under his presidency; and he had recently received a similar honour from a Delaware University in the United States of America.

Speaking at the ceremony, the former president appealed to members of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) to consider the suffering of the majority of Ghanaians and call off their strike.

He underscored the need for government to reach out and dialogue with members of the association as well as other public sector employees threatening to embark on strike.

Mr Kufuor appealed to the medical doctors to stop the strike and the decision to resign en bloc, which he noted would cause irreparable damage to the nation.

He further indicated that “The nation I believe, will appreciate such compromises and will not forget such a compromise that you will make.”

He bemoaned the situation where the country depends so much on the export of raw materials and said that the situation had been the bane of the cedi depreciating against the major currencies.

Former President Kufuor expressed discomfort about the falling standard of education in the country, with particular reference to the poor performances at the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

He paid tribute to the late Dr Kwame Nkrumah for laying the foundation for the establishment of the university (UEW).

The President, John Dramani Mahama, in an address read on his behalf, acknowledged the contributions of the award winners in their various fields of endeavour.

He commended Mr Kufuor for his vision in introducing the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), free maternal care for pregnant women and other social interventions.

 From Sarah Afful, Winneba