He said the government was committed to strengthening existing systems and structures to ensure that universities lived up to their mandate of producing graduates who would be able to facilitate the accelerated development of the country and the world.

Addressing a thanksgiving service to climax the 75th anniversary of the University of Ghana at Legon in Accra yesterday, President Akufo-Addo said the government “fully supports and shares in your vision to become a research intensive university, and we will do all in our power to help you realise it”.

President Akufo-Addo said 75 years in the life of any institution was no mean feat, and that from the modest beginnings in 1948 when the university was housed on the premises of the Achimota College, the then University College of Gold Coast had evolved into one of Africa's leading universities.

“Today, there is a worldwide recognition of the excellent performance of the university’s faculties and students, and professional successes chalked up by her alumni, both home and abroad,” he said, adding that “the university continues to be a proud pacesetter in mentoring and nurturing higher institutions and think tanks in the country.”

The President further said that the university had over the years lived up to its mission of developing world class human resource and capabilities to meet the development needs of the nation and global challenges.

He also said that graduates from the university had contributed to national and global development, and had been a source of pride to the nation.

President Akufo-Addo shaking hands with Prof. Dr Benjamin Waabae Garbrah (2nd from right), first Head of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, and one of the pioneers of the university. With them include Prof. Akosua Adomako Ampofo (right), lecturer at the Department of Anthropology, Gender and African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon. Picture: SAMUEL TEI ADANO

Background

The year-long celebration was launched on August 30, 2022, after which a 22-member committee was set up by the Vice-Chancellor to plan the celebration.

This led to the organisation of a logo competition, holding of a number of public lectures, fun games, sports and community services, including tree planting and blood donation exercises.

A special congregation was also held to award honorary degrees to some distinguished personalities, while a Christian thanksgiving service and Muslim prayers were held yesterday to climax the anniversary.

J.B. Danquah’s contribution

Touching on the history of the establishment of the nation’s premier university, President Akufo-Addo said the anniversary, inevitably, evoked memories, and that for him the most poignant of those memories was the inestimable work Dr J. B. Danquah did in mobilising citizens to insist on the building of the university.

He said the establishment of the university was the “inspired visionary leadership of this great scholar and nationalist”.

The President said Dr Danquah got the then Government of the British West Africa to agree through a series of passionate interventions in the then legislative council, and with the enthusiastic support of the nation’s farmers to create a separate university for the country — which would have been in Ibadan, Nigeria — on the basis of his minority recommendation.

“How felicitous was that decision and how greatly it had contributed to the growth of modern Ghana.

“It will be wholly appropriate, if not at all far-fetched, to describe J.B. Danquah as the Founder of this university,” he said, stressing that “it is a fact that on the 75th anniversary of the existence of the university, this memory should be vividly recalled by all who have been and are beneficiaries of Danquah’s work.”

Gratitude

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, expressed gratitude to both past and present members of the society, including the university community, partners and the anniversary planning committee for their continuous support.

She expressed the hope that in the next 75 years, more would be achieved, and urged all parties to continue to contribute to the success of the university.

Prof. Amfo appealed for support for the construction of a legacy project as part of the anniversary celebration, and said it would include a leadership training centre, an incubation hub, a clinic and meeting rooms.

She also urged stakeholders of the university such as the alumni, lecturers and students, to wear the colours of the university on October 11 this year and post a picture on social media to mark the day the university was unveiled even though it was established on August 11.