Akuafo Hall Launches 60th Anniversary

Akuafo Hall has launched its 60th anniversary celebrations under the theme: Agriculture, The Panacea to Ghana's Sustainable Growth and Development. Activities planned throughout the year include monthly seminars and lectures, medial outreach, a durbar and an awards and fundraising dinner dance to climax the celebrations.

In a welcome address, Dr. Frederick Acheampong, President of the Akuafo Hall Alumni Association entreated alumni to pay their dues to enable more developments in the Hall.

 

Dr. Acheampong, President of Akuafo Hall Alumni Association

Giving a report on the state of affairs at the Hall, Dr. George Akanlig-Pare, the Hall Master noted that despite the expansion works being carried out, the hall is confronted with inadequate water and bedding facilities for increasing number of students. He also stressed the need for a graduate hostel to cater for the increasing number of graduate students in the hall.

He said he was however proud of the hall’s ability to build walkways and rumps to assist the physically challenged, adding that the Hall’s fame as the best sports hall and overall best academic hall with prominent personalities such as Prof. Alexander Adum-Kwapong, First African Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Amonoo Neizer, Former Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, among other alumni was second to none.

The guest of honour for the occasion was Prof. Daniel Bruce Sarpong, Head, Department of Agricultural Economics & Agribusiness.  Speaking on the theme for the launch, Prof. Sarpong underscored the importance of agriculture in Ghana and its significant contributions to the country’s GDP.  He said there was the need for substantial investment such as the provision of irrigation facility, efficient utilization of natural resources, including the soil, forest lands, rain water harvesting and the balance of using inorganic and organic fertilizers and better farm management practices to boost agricultural production.

 

Prof.Bruce Sarpong, Head, Dept. of Agricultural Economics & Agribusiness

He noted that one of the biggest threats to agriculture and its sustainability is the perception of the youth towards agriculture as they perceive agriculture as a non-profitable venture and called for conscious efforts to be made to fundamentally change how the youth perceive agriculture.

 

Other dignitaries present at the event were Prof. Date Bah, Chairman of the University of Ghana Council, Prof. Oheneba-Sakyi Dean, School of Continuing and Distance Education, Prof. Mike Oquaye, former  Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya and Speaker of Parliament and other Alumni of the hall.

                                                  Group photograph

Akuafo Hall was established in 1953. The Hall Council in 1954 decided to name the Hall Akuafo to commemorate the generous gesture of the farmers of Ghana in giving money for the foundation of the University College.

 

The Hall was officially opened on 17 February, 1956, but the first students, all male, numbering 131, came into residence on 5th October, 1955. The Hall was converted into a mixed Hall of Residence in October, 1991.  The crest of the hall is symbolic of the hall’s roots - a cocoa tree, an open book and a drum.

Some performances by Ghana Dance Ensemble and students of the hall