A Group calling itself Concerned Citizens of Upper West Region has hailed the government's decision to make Wa campus of University for Development Studies an autonomous university.

The Group expressed their commitment to keep track of government's pledge to ensure that before the next academic year this new policy will take effect.

"We want to call on His Excellency Nana Addo to press on the Attorney- General to quicken action for parliament to ratify the bill to have the autonomous university established for the people of the Upper West.
Comrades, the Concerned Citizens of the Upper West Region and Sympathizers of UDS Wa campus will not relent in the effort to ensure that; the President’s important announcement of significant value will not be rhetoric" a statement contained.

The proposed name for the independent university is University for Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS).

President Akufo-Addo at the congregation of the UDS in Tamale announcement cabinet's approval of the decision to make the Wa campus of UDS autonomous.

This decision awaits parliamentary approval to take effect.

The Group called on current UDS-Wa campus administrators to accelerate the completion of uncompleted projects since it will be key in determining the admission rate and smooth running of the school.

In a press statement issued on Monday, the group made a 5-point recommendation to the government following the announcement by the President.

Below is the full detail of the release

PRESS CONFERENCE BY CONCERNED CITIZEN OF UPPER WEST REGION AND
SYMPATHIZERS OF UDS- WA CAMPUS ON THE PRESIDENT’S DECLARATION OF
UDS WA CAMPUS AS AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY

It is with great joy and act of truism that we invite you all to this morning’s press briefing.

Ladies and Gentlemen, 10th November 2018 will remain a memorable day in the history of Upper West Region. The bold and courageous important announcement made by His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Afuffo Addo, the President of the Republic of Ghana at the 19th graduation ceremony of the UDS held at Tamale, on cabinet’s approval for UDS-WA Campus as University of Business and Integrated Development Studies is a strong demonstration of good leadership; victory for citizens rights and above all expanding access to quality educational opportunities at all levels.

We wish to express our warmest appreciation to His Excellency for responding to the clarion calls of the residents and people of the Upper West Region to grant the UDS-Wa Campus autonomous status. We further wish to commend the Dr. Christine Amoako Nuamah- led Committee which recommended the need for autonomy for Wa campus. It is our hope that “His Excellency will be a
successful president to all Ghanaians” we owe you (your Excellency) our heartfelt thanks and appreciation. The Journey has been so tiring and last two week’s demonstration suggests that; we the people of the Upper West Region and sympathizers are more united than we thought.

2) Fellow colleagues “We are proud of His Excellency Nana Akufo Addo because he is a great history maker”. The declaration of the UDS-Wa Campus’s autonomy is indeed long overdue. Mr. President, we salute you!
We commend the strong leadership role of our traditional rulers; especially the former President of the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs and Paramount Chief of the Nandom. Traditional Council Naa (Dr) Charles Puoure Puobe Chiir VII and the current President of the Regional House of Chiefs and the Paramount Chief of the Tumu Traditional Council; Tumu Kuoro Richard Babini Kanton II for petitioning government on the autonomous status of the UDS Wa Campus. Their struggle has yielded positive results, as the declaration has been made by His Excellency Nana Akufo Addo. We say thank you to our Chiefs for inspiring us.

We equally owe a lot of gratitude to the Waala Traditional Council for giving as their blessing and support to pour out on the streets of Wa to demand for the Autonomous status. We cannot celebrate the victory without expressing appreciation to H. E Ambassador Alhaji Sahanu Mugtari who laid the foundation for the establishment of UDS Wa Campus in 2002 now the University of Business and Integrated Development Studies. Also, to our legal team, you have won the hard-fought battle. We are grateful for your show of solidarity and high sense of patriotism. We are proud of your intellect. To our dear Media we salute you for your act of professionalism. You have been in the struggle with us and your contribution to this victory is supernumerary. We have been in this struggle with our market women, trotro drivers, political sympathizers, and young men and women within the Upper West Region. We appreciate your unflagging support.

3) We wish to pay homage to Former President Jerry John Rawlings for the establishment of UDS in Northern Ghana. Today, your vision of empowering the people of Northern Ghana is highly remarkable. The List of thanks cannot go without the mention of Former President John Agyekum Kufour, in whose tenure the Wa Campus was established. To our late former President His Excellency Prof. John Evans Fiifi Kofi Atta Mills for his commitment to expanding the infrastructural needs of the Wa Campus, in view of the multi-purpose library complex facility, though still under construction. The journey to the attainment of autonomous status was occasioned by Former President John Dramani Mahama who set up the 10 member committee to look into the matter; today the committee’s findings have been appreciated. We say a big thank you for your impressive contribution. In the near future, it is appropriate to honour these former Heads of state for their strong historical connections with UBIDS.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the quest for autonomy will not end now. The journey has just begun. We want to call on His Excellency Nana Addo to press on the Attorney- General to quicken action for parliament to ratify the bill to have the autonomous university established for the people of the Upper West.
Comrades, the Concerned Citizens of the Upper West Region and Sympathizers of UDS Wa campus will not relent in the effort to ensure that; the President’s important announcement of significant value will not be rhetoric. Colleagues and the media; we are urging the managers of UDS to ensure that, the uncompleted projects should be given considerable attention since, infrastructural needs will 4 be a major pillar in the smooth running of the University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS).

We still remain focused and committed to ensure that saboteurs’ will not succeed in their schemes to run down the Wa Campus now declared as UBIDS in their realignment and staff rationalism agenda. We will fight to ensure it will never happen.

We also want to urge the Principal of Wa Campus Prof. Alhassan Aminu to begin to ensure that, the abandoned major infrastructural projects will be prioritized in order to give a facelift to the UDS Wa Campus soon to be ratified as UBIDS. To the MPs of the Upper West Region, you have another opportunity to redeem your image. Please ensure that your colleagues eschew any partisan approach to debating the bill. You must be guided by the yearning demand of those who entrusted you to represent them. Our dear Honourable MPs, we are watching you, people, closely. Do your best to expedite the passage of the bill by ratifying it. Ladies and Gentlemen, we must exercise caution and remain focused in order to realize the
dream of salvaging UDS Wa Campus now declared as UBIDS.

We are making a passionate appeal to our Lawmakers (Parliamentarians) not play petty party politics and unnecessarily delay the bills if it is finally laid before the house.

Recommendations;

a) There is the urgent need for the Ministry of Attorney - General and Justices to expedite action in facilitating the bills to the house of parliament for ratification.

b) The transition team must ensure that asset and resource allocations to UBIDS will not be compromised

c) The bill must also go to parliament under a certificate of urgency to enable the autonomous campus start running effectively.

d) We repeat our call that a hostel should be named after H.E Ambassador Alhaji Sahanu Mogtari for his massive contributions to the birth of UDS- Wa now UBIDS

e) The new Universities should be functional before the 2019/ 2020 admissions applications windows are open so they attract prospective applications.

Conclusion

We express regret to those political activists who seek to make political gains; they should shut up. It is for the good course of the Upper West and Ghana at large. We reiterate that the power struggle
and quest for glory will not serve any good.

Ladies and gentlemen, the media; we thank you all for coming.

Long Live the President!
Long live the dream of UBIDS!
Long live the Upper West Region!
Long Live Ghana!

Co- Convener
ISSAHAQUE SULEMAN
TEL: 0244898652 / 0241124344