Prof. Owusu-Sekyere inducted as first Vice-Chancellor of CCTU
Right Reverend Professor Joshua Danso Owusu-Sekyere has been inducted into office as the first substantive Vice-Chancellor of the Cape Coast Technical University (CCTU).
The new Vice-Chancellor has pledged to turn the university into a leading innovative and entrepreneurial technical university with local, national and global influence.
Prof. Owusu-Sekyere said he would work to ensure that the university fulfilled its mandate to produce graduates who were innovative, entrepreneurial in outlook, goal oriented, critical thinkers and adequately equipped to provide solutions for local, national and global challenges.
Investiture
He was symbolically placed on the seat of power and handed over his robe, sword of authority and the statute of the university by the Chairman of the CCTU Governing Council, Prof. Harold Amonoo-Kuofi, at an investiture last Friday.
The ceremony attracted dignitaries from academia, clergy and politics.
Vision
Prof. Owusu Sekyere said his vision and mission included working towards positioning the CCTU as a centre for academic and technological excellence with the provision of a state-of-the-art information communication technology infrastructure, while working to establish a research culture, giving prominence to staff development and promoting academic and industrial collaboration with its development partners.
“One of the things I want the CCTU to be recognised for is entrepreneurship. Apart from our niche area (renewable energy), that which would distinguish us from other technical universities would be our entrepreneurial culture,” he stated and added that management would engage the entire university community in its quest to be known and seen as an entrepreneurial technical university.
Harness strengths
Prof. Owusu-Sekyere stated that he would work to harness the strength of all staff towards the realisation of his vision and would be transparent in his administration for efficiency.
“It is my vision to have the CCTU acknowledged as a major development partner to the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly,” he stated.
Prof. Amonoo-Kuofi advised the vice-chancellor to painstakingly follow the vision he presented to the search committee to qualify him for his appointment.
“Note that we will soon take our red pens and start making your scripts,” he stated.
He further advised him to respect the rule of law, protect the public purse, adopt the committee system of administration and pursue the mandate of the university.
“It is expected that you will follow the laid down procedures to protect the funds of the CCTU. The taxpayers money should be spent in line with the procurement laws, tax laws and the new Public Financial Management Act,” he stated
Niche area
Prof. Amonoo-Kuofi further urged him to develop the university’s niche area, build a strong relationship with other stakeholders in education and ensure efficient leadership and team work.
”It is expected that the CCTU will become not only a centre of excellence for renewable energy knowledge and training but also the national reference centre for renewable information and expertise. Our students must be trained to acquire skills and expertise in this innovative area and become entrepreneurially minded,” he stated.
He also admonished Prof. Owusu-Sekyere to ensure that the CCTU worked to develop new curricula in technical and vocational education, science and technology education as well as mathematics to contribute to the realisation of the one district, one factory policy.