The University of Cape Coast (UCC) on Thursday honoured 51 members of staff, who were retiring from active service of the University.

The number included 13 senior members, 21 senior staff and 17 junior staff who had provided invaluable services to the University.

Out of the number, 42 had served the university between 15 and 42 years in various capacities, with Mr Peter Aboadwe and Mr Kabio-Beyaa Dargati being the longest serving retired staff with 42 years service as senior health superintendent and supervisor respectively.

Mr Benjamin K. Dawood and Mr Yaro Builsa had also served the university for 41 and 39 years respectively.

The awardees were presented with items such as citation plaques, furniture, refrigerators, television sets, kitchen wares as well as unspecified amount of cash.

Professor Domwini Dabire Kuupole, Vice-Chancellor of UCC, in a speech delivered on his behalf expressed his gratitude to the retirees and the entire staff for their devotion, determination and good services of the most productive part of their lives to the institution and urged members of staff to lead the exemplary life of the retirees.

He said for the hard work of the retirees not to be in vain, the University was putting in place a mechanism to create an office for them so as to enable them to share their expertise and experiences with the staff who were still in active service.

Professor Kuupole urged the staff to demonstrate good values of punctuality, loyalty, honesty, trustworthiness, commitment and hard work; since these values will help push the new frontiers of the University into higher education in Ghana and beyond.

Professor Nana Opare, a retired Lecturer of UCC, who spoke on behalf of the retirees expressed their appreciation to the University for honouring their efforts and advised his colleagues to embrace their new lives with self-consciousness and determination, especially in this era of socio-economic and environmental hardships.

He said though they had retired, it did not mean they were handicapped, but that they could in their own way support the institution anytime they were called upon.

Professor Opare suggested to the administration to use some of the retirees as training tutors for the current staff especially those with long term experience.

He advised the staff not to put up behaviours that will put their name to shame but rather work hard towards the development of the University and called on senior staff not to undermine the credibility of junior staff since they were all in one “community.”