Polytechnics Face Staff Shortage

Dignitaries on the dais
THE GOVERNMENT has been urged, to with immediate effect, reconsider its freeze on employment to help institutions of higher learning, notably, the polytechnics, to properly overcome its recent staff problems.

Prof. Kwasi Obiri-Danso, Chairman of Council, Kumasi Polytechnic, disclosed with concern that government's freeze on employment was having adverse affects on polytechnics as they could not replace retired staff.

'I wish to also add my voice to the recent call by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, for government to reconsider its freeze on employment and grant institutions of higher learning a special dispensation for them to fill vacancies of academic staff.

'This policy on recruitment has made it very difficult for the polytechnics to recruit new staff to replace those who have retired or died,' Prof. Obiri-Danso disclosed with gross concern during the 10^th congregation of Kumasi Polytechnic.

A total of 2,036 including 1460 males and 633 females were awarded Higher National Diploma (HND) certificates after they had duly completed their various courses at the institution. Twenty six students had first class and 586 had second class upper.

Professor N.N.N. Nsowah-Nuamah, the Rector of Kumasi Polytechnic, recounted the numerous key interventions which his administration had introduced in recent times to boost academic work and the infrastructural base of the school, disclosing his readiness to do more to make Kumasi Polytechnic the envy of all.

He announced that he is determined to lead Kumasi Polytechnic to achieve its vision of becoming a Technical University, dubbed 'Technical University of Kumasi' in 2016 which would be situated at Kuntenase with ultra modern facilities.

Prof. Nsowah-Nuamah said establishing entrepreneurship village, establishing endowment fund to support staff development and research and vehicles manufacturing, just to mention a few, are some of the laudable projects that he seeks to introduce at Kumasi Polytechnic in the coming years.

The Kumasi Polytechnic Rector admonished the graduands to be disciplined, hard working, remain focused and put into practice what they had learnt in the school to help accelerate the development of mother Ghana as they venture into the job market.

The Minister of Education, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku Agyeman, in a speech read on her behalf, decried the effects of the power crisis in the country, also known as 'dumsor' on Ghanaians.

She therefore charged institutions like the polytechnics to research into alternative energy sources, energy efficient utilization and other innovations that can help preserve energy.

The Minister of Education openly admitted that Ghana is currently in economic crisis 'I will therefore urge public sector workers, especially in education, to be circumspect in their demands for wage rise.'

FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi