Kumasi, Sept. 16, GNA - The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has set up a nine-member preparatory committee chaired by Professor Kwabena Boakye-Yiadom, a former pro-vice chancellor of the university to plan towards its golden jubilee celebration which will start in October 2001.

Other members of the committee are Mr S. O. Larbi, National President of the KNUST Alumni Association, Prof. D. B. Okai, Department of Animal Science, Prof H. N. A. Wellington, Department of Architecture, Dr K. Yeboah-Gyan, Department of Biological Sciences and Mrs Eunice Ansah-Asamoah, Deputy Director of Pharmaceutical Services.

The rest are Dr (Mrs) Peggy Oti-Boateng of the Technology Consultancy Centre, Dr G. K. Akosah of the School of Engineering and Dr Seth O. Asiama of the Faculty of Social Sciences. Professor Ambrose K. Tuah, acting vice-chancellor of the university announced at a press conference in Kumasi on Thursday to outline preparations being made towards the jubilee celebrations of the university.

He said one of the first steps to be taken by the committee would be to revitalise the alumni associations at the cell or grassroots, district, regional, national and the international levels to ensure massive participation in the celebrations.

Prof Tuah said as part of the re-organisation of the alumni, the association's constitution would be reviewed at its forthcoming congress. The Alumni Affairs Centre at the University Relations Office is to be renovated and equipped with the necessary facilities for the compilation of an alumni directory and the retrieval of information on alumni.

The acting Vice-Chancellor said the office is to be equipped with fax and telephone to communicate with members and that an alumni web site is to be created to merge with the various alumni web sites in Australia and the United States of America.

Professor Tuah said to ensure massive participation, it is necessary to create awareness among the alumni, staff and students, friends and benefactors as well as the general public for them to know what is going on so that they can support the university and share in their joys and aspirations.

He said a committee under the chairmanship of Mrs Joyce Stuber, Dean of the College of Art, is to handle the production of souvenirs such as car stickers, mugs and alumni cloth to sell side by side with the university tie and scarf currently on sale.

The acting vice-chancellor disclosed that a nation-wide fund-raising appeal is to be launched in support of the jubilee and, therefore, appealed to commerce, industry, diplomatic missions and non-governmental organisations to support the KNUST, which is Ghana's only technological university.

He disclosed that employees of the university, who contribute to the Ghana University Superannuation Scheme (GUSS) have started the first phase of the construction of a 100-room students hostel estimated at 2.5 billion cedis. It will be ready for use by next academic year.

Prof. Tuah said presently, about 60 per cent of students are non-residential and as such the university recognised the importance of accommodation and, therefore, welcomed the move by the employees.