President Nana Akufo-Addo with Former President Jerry John Rawlings
FORMER PRESIDENT Jerry John Rawlings has rejected the proposal to re-name University of Development Studies (UDS) after him.
The plan to re-name four universities after eminent Ghanaian personalities including the former President is contained in the controversial Universities Bill expected to be submitted to Parliament.
In a statement signed by Kobina Andoh Amoakwa, an officer from his office’s communications directorate, Mr. Rawlings indicated that “when the proposal for the naming of the UDS was first brought to the former President’s attention by the Education Minister in 2017, he thanked the President and the government for the honour, but politely declined the offer because he had a long-standing principle not to have national monuments and facilities named after him.”
According to the statement, “indeed in November 2015 when the then government of the day offered to name the Offshore Cape Three Points Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel after him he turned down the offer as well.”
It said “the former President, has since the publication of the details of the new bill to be tabled before Parliament, written to the Minister of Education to reiterate his position and kindly requested that the re-naming of UDS after him be withdrawn from the Draft Bill to be submitted to Parliament.”
The former President once again thanked the President and all those who in diverse ways are keen on recognizing his contribution to the development of Education in Ghana.
BY Melvin Tarlue