Professor Clifford Nii Boi Tagoe, Vice-Chancellor
of University of Ghana, on Thursday said a fair distribution of the national cake was the only incentive that could motivate people to contribute towards the achievement of the country's development agenda.
"A country with diverse cultural, social, political and economic backgrounds must ensure that people get equal access to resources in the
country to enable them embrace national identity and play their role effectively in the pursuit of the developmental agenda," he said.
Prof. Tagoe made the observation at the opening of the Third Annual Colloquium organised by the Faculty of Social Studies of University of Ghana in Accra.
It was instituted in 2007 as part of efforts to promote academic research on development at all faculties of the university and this year's
theme is "National Identity and Development in Ghana".
Twenty-six papers would be presented at the two-day colloquium being attended by over 50 academicians from the faculties of social studies, law, archaeology and heritage studies.
Others participating enteritis are, Legon Centre for International Affairs, Sociology, School of Communication Studies, Institute of Social, Statistical and Economic Research, Institute of Continuing and Distance Education and Regional Institute for Population Studies.
Prof. Tagoe regretted that a search for national identity by a Ghanaian citizen was defeated because of the person's political affiliation.
"We need a national identity that can integrate the diverse cultural and social values into a united nation as witnessed during the celebration of victories national soccer teams," he said.
Prof. Tagoe said the search for a national identity should transcend all boundaries that tended to discriminate and lead to the marginalisation of any group to enable the country adopt a united approach towards achieving
socio-economic development.
He called for access to funding for research projects to be presented at the colloquium for review and publication to enable the various faculties increase their publications and promote academic research in the university.
Prof. Kofi Quashigah, Dean of Faculty of Law, University of Ghana, said there was the need to incorporate values that formed the basis of national identity into the nation's constitution because the path to development begun with the consciousness of the people.
He urged academicians to use ideas developed at the colloquium to work towards promoting a united front at economic, social, political, social, cultural, and educational levels.
Prof. Quashigah said the foundation on which the nation could build its national identity was to control its resources and utilise them for
development to enable the citizenry at all levels to enjoy the benefits.