Dedicate UDS to former president Rawlings- Employment/Labour Relations Minister

The Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Haruna Iddrisu has advocated that the University for Development Studies (UDS) should be dedicated to honor former President, Jerry John Rawlings. 

Mr. Iddrisu expressed the sentiment at a public lecture organized by the Development Communication Students’ Association (DEVCOSA) at the Wa campus of UDS equally made a case for the recognition of Presidents Kufuor and Atta Mills. 

Radio Ghana’s Emmanuel Mensah-Abludo reports that the call from Mr. Iddrisu hinges on President Rawlings’s commitment to expand access to higher education particularly for northern students. 

Mr. Iddrisu continued that the University of Mines and Technology (UMT) in Tarkwa should be named after former President John Agyekum Kufuor whilst the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in Ho should be christened after Professor John Evans Atta Mills of blessed memory for their roles in establishing the Universities. 

Mr. Iddrisu who dwelt on the topic” Communication Effectively Used Can Become a Potent Tool for Development” advised politicians and students to let their  word be have honor so that the integrity of their message can stand the test of time. 

He admonished them to pray daily for their tongue to say what is beneficial to society and not to comment on “doubtful matters”. 

The lecture was told that communication properly used can facilitate social cohesion, promote harmony as well as development but if it is misused, can result in chaos, conflict and disagreement. 

Touching on “Haruna Iddrisu and Adumdum-Adumdum Begyae comment”, the MP for Tamale South stated that when he made that statement in Parliament, he concluded by saying “this is not a Kufuor crisis, this a national crisis” which has been captured in the Hansard. 

Mr. Iddrisu pointed out that the finest thing that distinguishes UDS from other Universities is its community program officially known as “Third Trimester Field Practical Program (TTFPP). 

He said it enables the students to learn about how some communities struggle for ground water which is not even potable thereby helping them to experience at first the development challenges of rural communities. 

The Head Department of African and General Studies of UDS and Patron of DEVCOSA, Dr. Damasus Tuurosong paid tribute to Mr. Iddrisu for making time out of his busy schedule to deliver an academic paper in what he termed “at a University located at the remotest part of Ghana”. 

Dr. Tuurosong recalled the time he and Mr. Iddrisu were in Commonwealth Hall as V-mates, saying Mr. Iddrisu exhibited great leadership as an SRC President and is demonstrating same in handling labor issues as the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations. 

The Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Dr. Mushiebu Mohammed Alfa praised DEVCOSA for managing through its own initiative to bring Mr. Haruna Iddrisu to UDS for the public lecture adding that he admires the tenacity of purpose of the Association.  

Alhaji Rashid Pelpuo told the students that as young people, the greatest advantage they have is time but added that the greatest disservice they can do to themselves is to waste it. 

He said development is not only about physical infrastructure but about the improving of the human person. 

The icing on the cake at the public lecture was poetry recitals by Poet Pobby. 

The function was chaired by the Vice Dean of Faculty of Integrated Development Studies, Dr. Frank Teng-Zeng

GBC