Over 11,000 students including 102 PhDs Graduate from UG

The University of Ghana has held its 2023 congregation ceremony with 13 sessions over five days, at which over 11,000 graduated. 

Of the total number, 8,331 students received Bachelor's degrees, 462 received diplomas, while 2,918 were graduate students, including 104 PhD graduates.  

A cross-section of graduating students from the College of Humanities

In her opening address, the Chancellor of the University, Mrs. Mary Chinery-Hesse, expressed her delight at being part of the congregation ceremonies at the university, particularly this year’s congregation since it falls within the University’s 75th anniversary year.  

Chancellor, Mrs. Mary Chinery-Hesse

She commended Management for working out ways to face challenges experienced by the university since 2020 and finding ways to turn the challenges around to benefit the University. 

A graduating student receiving a handshake from the Vice-Chancellor

The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, delivering a report on the state of the university at the ceremonies, noted that the university is still working hard to get back on track with the regular August to July academic year. 

Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo

She mentioned that the university had made significant progress in expanding student accommodation facilities. “One of our most recent achievements in this regard is the steady progress in the completion of a 904-bed capacity hostel facility located within the university campus. Additionally, in 2022, the sod was cut for the construction of a PhD Apartment Block dedicated to PhD students enrolled at the University of Ghana. The project will provide the much-needed accommodation for PhD students,” she said.   

A cross-section of some graduating at the Cedi Conference Centre

On the online student academic records request portal and service fees system, the Vice-Chancellor said the university continues to work towards modernizing and streamlining its processes, adding that “as part of this initiative, we have recently launched an online student academic records request portal and service fees system, which will gradually replace the traditional paper-based system.” 

The new portal and service, she said, provides a more efficient and convenient way for students to request academic records and pay for related services from the comfort of their own devices. 

A student receiving a medal during one of the sessions

She also reported that the university has become the first public University to develop and launch a Gender Policy to formalize all the practices that the University has developed over the years to ensure that all stakeholders are treated equally and have access to the same facilities, opportunities, and treatment, regardless of their sex. She pledged Management’s commitment to continue to work hard and to ensure equity for all stakeholders. 

A cross-section of graduating students from the School of Graduate Studies

According to the Vice-Chancellor, the One Student One Laptop (1S1L) project has provided 120 needy students with laptops, with 200 more students expected to benefit from the project.  

For her part, Mrs. Emelia N. K. Agyei-Mensah, the Registrar of the university, in her remarks, recounted the disruption Covid-19 had caused to academic life, as well as various forms of industrial actions over the past few years. She, however, saluted all students who braved the uncertainties and satisfied the requirements for graduation.  

Some senior officials of the University standing for the UG anthem

Guest speakers at the various congregation sessions included Dr. Maxwell Opoku-Afari, the first Deputy Governor for Bank of Ghana; Ms. Adiki Ofeibea Ayitevie, Vice-President in charge of Sustainability and External Relations of Newmont Africa; Nana Dwemoh Benneh, the Chief Executive Officer of Universal Merchant Bank; Mr. Carl A. Sackey, IT Governance Expert; Dr. Ray Kakrabah-Quarshie Jnr, an Emergency Trauma Physician and Lawyer, and Mrs. Cynthia Lumor, Deputy Managing Director for Tullow Ghana. 

Alumna and Deputy Managing Director for Tullow Ghana, Mrs. Cynthia Lumor, was among the Guest Speakers at the ceremonies

As a tradition at UG graduation ceremonies, some of the best-graduating students delivered Valedictory remarks. They were Hannah Ayamba, Jacklord Agyabeng Amponsah, Kobina Korankye, Shirley Tony Kum, Ammishaddai Agyemang Osei, Titilope Folarin Aina Ajayi, Clarice Gondo, Hannah Ayamba, Kingsford Amoah, Habib Abdul-Nasir, Mariam Awurama Williams, Lancelot Allotey, and Silvia Esi Wobil. 

Lancelot Allotey, an officer of the Ghana Police Service, was one of the valedictorians

Even though the University has held smaller in person congregation ceremonies for the School of Law, Graduate School and the University of Ghana Medical School, this was the first major face-to-face congregation featuring undergraduate students, since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020. In attendance were parents, guardians, and families of the graduating students.  

A cross-section of the family of some of the graduating students

Please find below links to view the various ceremonies.