President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assured that his administration will continue to implement novel policies and programs aimed at building a progressive and prosperous nation, despite the challenges it has faced.

Speaking at the First Special Congregation of the Valley View University in Oyibi in the Greater Accra Region on Friday, July 7, Akufo-Addo said he had not had any experience that would make him change his long-held views that providing Free Senior High education (Free SHS), undertaking One-district, One-factory, executing the Planting for Food and Jobs and digitalisation were the best policies to lead the country to progress.

Akufo-Addo also spoke about the importance of education, saying that it is the key to Ghana’s development. He commended Valley View University for its commitment to providing quality education and urged other universities in the country to follow its example.

The congregation also conferred honorary degrees on Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, former Ghanaian President John Agyekum Kufuor, former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings, and Chief of Staff Akosua Frema Osei-Opare.

President Hichilema was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters, while former President Kufuor, Mrs Agyemang-Rawlings, and Mrs Osei-Opare were each awarded a Doctor of Science.

Valley View University is a private chartered university in Ghana. It was founded in 1992 and has campuses in Oyibi, Accra, and Kumasi. The university offers undergraduate and graduate programs in a variety of fields, including business, education, law, and theology.

Earlier, President Akufo-Addo received the Zambian President who is on a three-day state visit at the Jubilee House.

President Hichilema was accompanied by ministers of state and other government officials.

Not easy

President Akufo-Addo said he acknowledged that life had not been easy in recent times, “however, one thing for which I am certain is that there are solid reasons to hope for a brighter tomorrow and I am confident that by the grace of Almighty God that brighter future will be evident soon”.

Touching on his political journey, he explained that he had been in the eye of the public for most of his adult life, and spent many years campaigning to be elected President, adding that he first shot into the limelight in the 1970s during the campaign against the Acheampong regime.

The President said he joined the fight for the end to military rule and the restoration of constitutional democracy in Ghana.

He had by that time made up his mind what should be the best way to govern the country to ensure that it achieved the free, just, prosperous, and united country as envisaged by the forebears during the fight for independence.

“By the time I was elected President, I had a clear understanding of the vision my government had to realize during my tenure of office.

There have been good times, and necessarily there have been some rough ones too along the way that would have cowed some into giving up,” he recounted.

Citation

President Akufo-Addo said he was humbled by the citation and accepted the challenge that it imposed on him and the expectation of Ghanaians, adding that it was an indication that standing up and delivering on one’s mandate in office had its rewards, including the generous words of commendation expressed in the citation.

Remarks

Former President Kufuor, on behalf of the awardees, expressed appreciation to the university for the honour of conferring on them honorary doctorate degrees.

He stated that it was an honour for citizens to believe in public service that ensured inclusiveness, and equality of opportunity that reduced discrimination based on gender, religion, tribe or social standing.

The former President said accountability of officeholders to the people should be upheld as a value for good governance and democracy.

Invest in education

For his part, the President of Zambia commended the efforts of the university in acknowledging leaders for their tremendous work to improve the lot of citizens in their respective sectors.

Mr Hichilema encouraged the institution to continue in its strides and urged that the leaders did not relent in their efforts to improve the educational sector.

The Zambian President advised that policymakers should actively allocate resources to the educational sector, stating that “education is the best investment to equalise development and eradicate poverty in our societies”.