WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION IN COLLABORATION WITH THE WORLD BANK OF AFRICA

A meeting was held at the Council Chambers in the main administration of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science And Technology, Kumasi. This meeting was held to explore the university’s colleges, lecturers, professors, facilities and accommodation. People present were the vice chancellor of the university, Prof. W. O. Ellis; Provosts of the Colleges of Sciences, Health Science, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Architecture and Planning, Art and Social Sciences, and Engineering; Prof. Robert Kwame Nkum, Prof. E. T. Agbenyega, Prof. R. C. Abaidoo, Prof. Edward Badu, Prof. S. K. Afrane and Prof. S.I.K. Ampadu respectively; Prof. Ransford Bekoe from the Association of African Universities (World Bank Evaluation Team); Vice Chancellor of Uganda Martyrs University, Prof. Charles Olweng; World Bank officials, Ms. Eunice Y. B. Ackwerh and David Cassanova.

Presentation was done by the Provost of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resource, Prof. R. C. Abaidoo. He explored the University’s overview (history, ranking), location, hierarchy (from the Chancellor to the students), structures and facilities, colleges and departments and programmes that fall under each college and the vision and mission and mission.

Presentation of modern structures and facilities of the university such as the main administration, library, halls and hostels for both Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians residents, college and faculty blocks, commercial area, CCB Auditorium, registered taxi services, swimming pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, the Great Hall, KNUST basic schools(nursery to JSS), KNUST SSS, guest houses for Engineering and SMS, apartments for university teaching and non-teaching staff, and doctors.

Other facilities are the fire service, Vodafone offices, photocopy and printing services, shuttle for students who reside in hostels far from their faculties, security office and barracks, KNUST guest house in Accra where applicants can purchase their admission forms and where KNUST officials spend the night when they are outside the metropolis to run errands.

The university’s mandate is “to provide higher education, to undertake research, to disseminate knowledge and to foster relationships with outside persons and bodies; and do so in accordance with the following principles, and that research should be undertaken in all subjects which are taught in the University, but with special attention to subjects which relate to the social, cultural, economic, scientific, technical and other problems which exist in Ghana or elsewhere in Africa.

The mission of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology is:

·         To provide an environment for teaching, research and entrepreneurship training in science and technology for the industrial and socio-economic development of Ghana, Africa and the world.

•         To provide service to the community, be open to all people and be positioned to attract scholars, industrialists and entrepreneurs from Africa and the  international community.

Its vision is to advance knowledge in science and technology for sustainable development in Africa.

The university’s has a good image and reputation, quality of faculty members of staff, more than 69 programmes, excellent existing environment and infrastructure, access to large piece of land for expansion, collaboration with Institutions of Higher Learning and Research and strong collaboration with Alumni.

Questions were asked by Prof. Charles Olweng, Vice Chancellor of Uganda martyrs about why there are few females among the university’s hierarchy.  According to the Vice Chancellor, women run their homes. They are mothers n wives at the same time and all these responsibilities doesn’t encourage them into holding big positions. Another question asked was whether student are aware of the Vice Chancellor going through all the official processes to hold such a high official position. The students are aware as far as government approval is concerned. The next question asked was if the College of Architecture and Planning are fully accredited, the answer to the question was yes.

The Vice chancellor went further to talk about the student and how many are non-Ghanaians. “Some students come from Angola, Nigeria, Togo, and all over Africa because it is one of the best universities in the continent,” he added.

The next question was asked on the management of the university, as in the role that the hierarchy play in their various positions, the question to this answer was that, the Provosts are the heads of the whole college, and each college have departments which also have heads.

Finally, the motto of the university “Nyansapo wosane no badwenma,” was translated into English by the Vice Chancellor as “the wisdom knot is untied by the wise.”

 

 

 

 

By: N. S. Kutana.

(University Relations Office)