President John Mahama says the decision to cancel an honorary doctorate award by the University for Development Studies (UDS) to former President Rawlings during the NPP administration was a great disservice to the nation.

He said: "my hope is that the faculty and students used to scuttle this same event many years ago, have today grown up and understand the disservice that they did to this great institution"

The chairman of the UDS council, Daniel Gyimah, in 2005, cancelled a decision to confer the award citing a petition he received from some students protesting against the citation accompanying the award.

The decision, however, resurrected this afternoon when former President Rawlings was honored for his contribution to the establishment of the university.

Addressing the ceremony, President Mahama paid tribute to Mr. Rawlings for resisting several attempts to prevent the establishment of the UDS.

President Rawlings donated the prize money of $50,000, a World Food Prize Foundation Award in 1993 to be used as the seed money for the establishment of the University of Development Studies (UDS).

"This ceremony is significant to right a wrong that was inflicted on this university 8 years ago...today's honour is not only fitting, but I dare say it is 8 years too late," the President said.