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Accra, Ghana – Former President Jerry John Rawlings, has declined an offer from the Akufu-Addo-Bawumia administration to re-name the University for Development Studies (UDS) after him.
Established in 1992 through a World Food Prize award he won, Mr Rawlings has been commended by successive governments and other stakeholders for the role he personally played in ensuring the establishment of the multi-campus university in Northern Ghana.
It has always been the wish of many that one day the university would be renamed after the founder of the National Democratic Congress.
But in a statement he issued today, Mr. Rawlings said “…..he had a long-standing principle not to have national monuments and facilities named after him”.
Below is the full statement:
PRESS RELEASE
April 9, 2019
RE: UDS TO BE NAMED AFTER RAWLINGS
Former President Jerry John Rawlings has taken note of publications in the media on a proposed Universities Bill to be submitted to Parliament.
The former President has taken particular note of the plan to re-name four universities after eminent Ghanaian personalities, including the naming of the University of Development Studies (UDS) after him.
When the proposal for the naming of the UDS was first brought to the former President’s attention by the Education Minister in 2017, he thanked the President and the government for the honour, but politely declined the offer because he had a long-standing principle not to have national monuments and facilities named after him.
Indeed in November 2015 when the then government of the day offered to name the Offshore Cape Three Points Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel after him he turned down the offer as well.
The former President has since the publication of the details of the new bill to be tabled to Parliament written to the Minister of Education to reiterate his position and kindly requested that the re-naming of UDS after him be withdrawn from the Draft Bill to be submitted to Parliament.
The former President once again thanks the President and all those who in diverse ways are keen on recognizing his contribution to the development of Education in the country.
Issued By:
Kobina Andoh Amoakwa
(Communications Directorate)
By Savannahnewsonline.com/Philip Liebs
