UG Graduation Celebrations; Aftermath Raises Questions

The University of Ghana is a world class and well respected place of academia and with its vision “To become a world class research-intensive University over the next decade”, there is no stopping now. The University Churns out thousands of young men and women each year. The last batch of the 2017 graduates received their honors yesterday, 18th November, 2017. I would like to salute each and every graduate, I believe it wasn’t easy, it was rough but they sailed through the nation’s premier university. I encourage them to proceed with integrity as they join the corporate and real world.

To be a graduate implies that you have met the requirements of a particular course of study after which you are given a certificate based on merit from your various assessments throughout your stay at the institution. This makes it even heavier, the name graduate. The graduation celebrations are therefore usually very important to mark milestones achieved. With family, friends and colleagues, graduates take to various parts of the University most often near the great hall down to commonwealth hall. My hall of residence is commonwealth therefore; I am witness to their celebrations.

One thing I’ve noticed and which disturbs me is the nature in which the celebrations zones are usually left filled with filth and garbage almost everywhere and anywhere. Last year, a similar situation happened and I believe it’s been the practice from times I can’t think of.

From, basic school, we are taught to keep our environment clean. Most often, school teachers resort to punishing culprits of littering the school compounds. With time, we learn to keep our environment clean but only when we are in school. This baffles my mind. I believe this is what our dear graduates are going through.

The same way, a national day of sanitation was introduced by the former government; we started it with enthusiasm but relaxed after a few weeks of active practice. This raises big questions concerning the environmental safety of Ghana and the future we have.

It is therefore not only an issue of the University of Ghana but a nationwide problem.

The current VC of the institution has in his plans of action to make the school campus green and strides have already been seen from his part towards this vision. This is a move in the right direction. And I support him.

Coming back to the issue of how graduation celebration zones are left dirty, filthy and undeserving to be called part of the University of Ghana, the problem is a more fundamental one. Emanating from our mindset of what waste is and what can be done with waste. If this mindset is not broken, no progress can be made. It’s not about punishing, or whatever you can do. It has to be taught by parents, government has to empower them to do so by proving the necessary infrastructure. NGOs must also do their part. The private sector cannot be left out, they play a key role to the development of the country. Though, some of them may have been worried about the state in which they are leaving the place, they had no means to dispose off the waste materials. This is where the University also went wrong.

On Sunday morning, workers came to clear up the place. You may think, okay so why write this post if you know that the mess has been cleared?

Well, as I said, the problem of waste management is one which originates from our mindset. That is what I want us to know. If we want to make change concerning, the waste problem and any problem for that matter, the beginning point is always with ourselves and no one else. You cant force others to do what you don’t even practice yourself. So though the mess created by our dear graduates, the core of the problem still rears its head, looking for more places to invade.

Written By: Weguri Enoch. I am a volunteer with Technology Without Borders (TeoG) which runs a project called recycle up Ghana. Recycle Up Ghana aims to change the nation’s waste problem through local solutions.

Contact me on 0233414772 to join in. Change making.