With effect from this academic year, the University for Development Studies (UDS) would no longer accept any application for change of name from any student of the university in order to eliminate the prospect of impersonation.

It has been observed that some students apply for change of names immediately after matriculation and others do so just before completing their studies which arouses suspicion about the authenticity of their results slips and certificates.

However, female students who may marry during the period of their studies would have their cases studied on individual merit.

Professor Haruna Yakubu, Vice-Chancellor of the UDS, made this known in a speech read on his behalf by Professor David Milliar, Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University, at the matriculation of 2,873 fresh students into the Wa Campus of the University on Saturday.

He warned the new students that their result slips and certificates would be scrutinized and all those found to have fraudulent results would not only be dismissed but also face prosecution.

Professor Yakubu said the university would continue to pursue a gender-sensitive admission policy which clearly showed in the admission of 31.9 per cent females this year for undergraduate programmes as against 29 per cent last year.

He said the university received 12,056 applications for under graduate programmes but only admitted 6,209 students for all its campuses out of which 3,690 accepted the offer with 68.1 per cent of that number being males and 31.9 per cent females.

The university has introduced eight new programmes across its four campuses namely; Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Science (BSc) Accounting and Finance, BSc Development Management and BSc Land Management, all at the Wa Campus.

The Navrongo Campus would house BSc Information Technology, while BSc Anesthesia and BSc Biomedical Sciences would be at the Tamale Campus.

The newly established Faculty of Agribusiness and Communication Sciences would be handled by the Nyankpala Campus.

Professor Francis Bacho, Dean of the Wa Campus, reminded the new students that they would be confronted with many challenges and obstacles in their academic and social life on campus but should let their personal resolve surmount the challenges.

He appealed to them to be circumspect in all things they do and focus on their academic work.