President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has given the assurance that his government is taking decisive action on illegal mining, otherwise known as galamsey, to avert the destruction it is causing the nation.

As part of the efforts, he said, the government had adopted technological innovations , including drone surveillance, as well as community partnership.

‘’We are intensifying efforts to stop this menace . We are not only enforcing the law but are also promoting responsible mining practices that are within environmental sustainability’,” he said.

The President  gave the assurance when he addressed the first congregation of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD) at Somanya in the Yilo Krobo Municipality in the Eastern Region last Saturday.

The  ceremony, which was on the theme: ‘’Sustaining our future: Innovating for a Greener tomorrow”, saw the first graduating class of the UESD.

Out of the 86 graduates who were awarded degrees, 59 were males, with the rest being females.

Some of the dignitaries at the event were the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, and the Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong, and a former Minister of Finance, Seth Terkper.

Climate change

President Akufo-Addo said there was the need to protect the environment, noting that issues such as climate change, global warming and environment degradation should be of concern to all.

He said the UESD, an institution established to promote research on environmental issues, must take active interest in environmental issues to influence policy and action.

‘’This University is to take position to produce experts, researchers and innovators who can address environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainability.

From renewable energy to sustainability, agriculture, waste management to climate policy, UESD graduates are equipped to lead the charge of transferring Ghana into global examples of sustainable development,’ he said

‘’Your education here is not beyond academics. It is to instill the values of integrity, innovation and collaboration in achieving United Nations Sustainable Goals’’ he added.

The President further advised the students to use their skills and knowledge to help make the world a better place.

Challenges

The Vice-Chancellor of UESD, Prof. Eric Nyarko -Sampson, in his welcome address, said the university was gradually making strides, with its student population increasing from 78 in 2020 to the current 944.

He said the university would continue to deepen its partnerships with communities, government agencies, non-governmental agencies and international organisations to help it fulfill its mandate.

Although he lauded the government for the support given to the school, he indicated that the university was having challenges with infrastructure which was negatively affecting teaching , learning and research.

He mentioned some of the challenges as accommodation for both students and the lectures, lecture halls, library and Information, Communication Technology (ICT) laboratory among others .

He, therefore, pleaded with the President to come to the aid of the institution.

The Founder and Director of People’s Dialogue on Human Settlements, a non-governmental organisation, Farouk Braimah, called on the government to implement policies that would improve the employability of graduates.