The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development, UESD, Prof. Eric Nyarko-Sampson has drummed home the need for the core values of the University to be instilled in the students and the University community as a whole, as the institution advances.
He explained that the core values acronymed HOPE, which stands for Honesty, Opportunities, Perseverance and Enterprising, is a strong ‘overwhelming desire’ of UESD to roll out graduates who would ‘provide or serve’ as light, in especially a country where a gloomy future is predicted for the future.
Prof. Nyarko-Sampson was delivering a speech at the inauguration of a sixteen member Committee of the University’s HOPE Road show at a cerembny in the Multipurpose Auditorium. It was attended by Members of Management as well as the teaching and non-teaching staff. .The sixteen-member team has representatives from the various Units, Directorates and Unions of the University.
It has as Chairman, Dr. Michael Larbi Odame, a Lecturer of the School of Sustainable Development, (SSD), Vice-Chairperson; Dr.Theodora A. Asamoah, a Lecturer of the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences (SNES)and Ms. Rita Adwoa Boateng as Secretary. Their terms of reference among other things involve organising conferences, workshops that have the touch of the HOPE agenda, planning daily programmes, seeking sponsorship for the programmes. It is expected to submit a proposal of activities with budget to the Vice-Chancellor by the 31st of December, 2021.
The HOPE Road show is part of the ‘strategic’ vision of Prof. Nyarko-Sampson as the Vice-Chancellor of the UESD.
Prof. Nyarko-Sampson explained that due to the current happenings in the world, with the get-rich syndrome gaining currency among the youth, there is the urgent
need for a conscious effort to redirect the attention of the population which has majority as youth, to frown on such unhealthy attitudes.
He said, this is why the UESD hopes to produce graduates who would ‘exude hope and can offer hope,’ and this is encapsulated in Honestyoung men and women, who would be able to identify opportunities around them or create same using the potentials in their environments: Perseverance on the premise by Henry Longfellow that, ‘Heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden Hight, but they while their companions slept were toiling upward in the night,’ and become Enterprising by making a living from the Opportunities they have, becoming their own employers.
Prof. Nyarko-Sampson indicated that the HOPE agenda is not only for the students of the UESD but for staff members as well. It is an agenda, which would be vigorously pursued to incorporate it in all activities of the University, such as workshops, conferences and the seminars. ‘It should be a lifestyle here in UESD, our DNA.’ he added.
The Vice-Chancellor expounded that members of the Committee were carefully selected with representatives of all offices on campus whose activities have a direct bearing on the activities of the programme, while some were selected based on what they bring to the table.
He emphasised that the HOPE agenda is the responsibility of the entire University Community and itrequires a conscious effort to integrate the tenets of ‘HOPE’ in ‘our working culture.’ Dr. Odame called for unity and cooperation among his team members and the support of the University Community as a whole as they execute their functions.
The full lists of the members of the Committee are: Dr. Michael Larbi Odame – Chairman, Dr. Theodora A. Asiamah – Vice Chairperson and Ms. Rita Adwoa Boateng- Member/Secretary.
Others are: Dr. Andrew Manoba Limantol, Dr. Isaac Abeka Koomson, Dr. Padikor Madjitey, Dr. Margaret Appiah – Member, Dr. Lois Kusi Frimpong and Mrs. Vivian DeGreat Aidoo.
The rest are: Dr. Angela Ayisi-UTAG, Mr. Baffuor Akoto Osei – GAUA – Member, Mr. Prince Adu Anaafi – SSA, UoG,,Mr. Eric Nartey – TEWU – Member, Ing. John Awotwe -DPDEM, Mrs. Dorcas Adu Ampako-DoF and Mr. Ebenezer Ababio Tetteh – DITSO.