Chancellor of Central University, Rev Dr Mensa Otabil, has announced the celebration of the 20th anniversary celebration of the university in 2018.
He indicated that the celebration would be moments for absolute reflections to look into the future prospects of the university.
Speaking at the 16th graduation ceremony of the university held over the weekend at the Miotso Campus, Dr Otabil said the university had come a long way in raising transformational leaders for Ghana, Africa and the world.
He was grateful to God for the lives of the graduating students, faculty and the administrative cadre.
The chancellor also congratulated the graduates for the successful completion of their studies and counselled them to “look into the future in anticipation of more challenges knowing that God is the ultimate help.”
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bill Puplampu, in his address, expressed sentiments on the undue delay in payments of fees charged by the university. He explained that the fees needed to be paid on time to avoid inordinate pressure on the operations as well as avoid crippling the progress of the university.
He noted that as a private university, all efforts to deliver quality education is a priority that required financial support and wondered why some students and their guardians do not settle their fees on time.
“Many students, parents and guardians treat the matter of fees as if it was a favour being dispensed to the institution. It takes typically the 13 weeks to collect 70% of our fees each semester and often the last trove of fees come in under the duress of exams” he lamented.
Professor Puplampu further indicated that private university education in Ghana was not expensive compared to the fee paying options in the State Universities and therefore called on parents to honor all financial commitments to “help us deliver the quality of tuition that future generations will be proud of”.
The vice-chancellor also announced that the certificates of 10 students who were expected to have been graduated have been withheld by the Academic Board for their involvement in various kinds of exam malpractice or other. He therefore advised the graduates to avoid short cuts in life placing emphasis on wealth, prominence and presumed stature as they will in time injure their spirits and requested of them to be true ambassadors of the University in faith, integrity and excellence.
Projecting into the coming year, Prof Puplampu stated that there were plans to roll out a range of Applied Diploma programmes as well as a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. He added that construction works for the proposed Teshie campus will also begin among other infrastructural projects.
Delivering her valedictory speech, Ms Priscilla Agyemang-Duah, one of the two overall best students was grateful to the University for the values imparted into the graduands by faculty and staff of the University.
“We can testify sincerely of the core values this unique institution has given us through hard work and virtue. The onus now lies on us to give much which the world requires from us and has been waiting for a while we went through three years of transformation,” she posited and affirmed that “this graduating class is ready to lead at anytime and anywhere to make change in Ghana and the world”.
A 2006 Alumnus, Mrs Akua Owusu Nartey, who was the Special Guest Speaker, admonished the graduands to make use of the hard skills, quality and practical education they have received from Central University if they are to succeed in the world of work.
News Desk