The Volta Regional Youth Wing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has strongly opposed the decision of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) to award an honorary doctorate to President Akufo-Addo.
They have called the award “unjust” and “unacceptable” and are calling on the university’s vice-chancellor and council to immediately halt the award.
In a statement, the Head of Volta Regional Youth Organisation, Mathias Johnson Alagbo, highlighted the frustration and disappointment of the youth wing.
“It is infuriating and unacceptable that UHAS is even considering awarding a leader whose policies and actions have seriously undermined the welfare and development of the Volta Region and the nation,” Alagbo said.
The youth wing stressed the origins of UHAS, which was established under the Mills Mahama-led NDC administration and provided the vision, resources and initial development of the university.
They argued that UHAS officials’ assertions that the current administration has secured funding for the China Phase II project are misleading and that the groundwork for continued funding through the China grant was laid by President Mills before the university’s first phase of construction began.
“We demand that the current administration demonstrate any significant contribution to UHAS since President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo assumed office,” Alagbo demanded.
He criticised the government for not giving financial approval to the employment of lecturers and staff in the universities and for abandoning the path towards universities that the NDC had started.
The statement also pointed to wider issues of neglect in the Volta Region, including stalled infrastructure projects such as the Ho-Aflao road and a general lack of development support from the current administration.
“This proposal for honorary degrees is clearly a partisan move,” Alagbo said, adding that the tertiary university, as a prestigious academic institution, must remain neutral and avoid political controversies.
The youth wing believes awarding the degree would tarnish UHAS’s reputation and send a dangerous message of endorsement of the current administration’s “many failures and misdeeds,” including economic mismanagement and large-scale corruption.
The Volta Regional Youths have called on the UHAS community, alumni and stakeholders to oppose the award.
“We urge the Vice Chancellor and the UHAS Council to immediately withdraw this proposed award,” Alagbo said.
He warned that failure to comply with this demand would lead to lawful and democratic action, including large-scale and sustained demonstrations against the university management.
The Youth Service trusts that the Vice-Chancellor and Council will act in the best interests of the University and the nation by revoking the awards that they consider to be unjust and undeserved honours.
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