Management of the University of Ghana has unveiled plans to constitute a committee that will seek to update the historical records of the country’s premiere public tertiary institution.
For months, the university community has been embroiled in heated arguments after President Nana Akufo-Addo stoked public debate by calling for the renaming of the University after Dr J. B. Danquah.
Dr Danquah, a post-colonial politician and a founding member of his political tradition, the President claims has played an “inestimable role” in the establishment of the University.
When asked if the historical records reflect the President’s account, Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Nana Aba Appiah Amfo told Joy News that “all those who played a significant role to the establishment of the university have properly been acknowledged”.
“What the president was advocating was a renaming of the university after him but that’s something which is really subject to huge debate.
“There are various ways in which we acknowledge people who have contributed to the establishment of the university and we have a whole avenue named after JB Danquah that’s a major avenue in this university,” she added.
The University’s first female Vice-Chancellor further explained that the emerging debate amongst the school community would have been put to rest if the school had consciously updated the University’s historical record.
“You may or may not know that when the school was 50 years there was a history book that was outdoored and so the history of the university has been properly documented.
“But that was for 50 years and actually we are in the process of commissioning a team to update that and when we have our final program for the year we will be able to talk more about that,” Prof Appiah Amfo said.
She stated that there’s a team on the ground already working but have to be properly outdoored.
Although she would not fully disclose the scope of the work, the Vice Chancellor said the committee would essentially be reviewing and updating the history that has been documented.
“There were attempts in the past to update the school’s history. One of the former Vice chancellors Professor Ayettey set up a team but really the ideas didn’t materialise, so at 75 years it’s the opportune time for us to revisit that matter and properly document all the major events, and other activities and also acknowledge the significant roles in the development and the history of the university.”
