President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has stated that the new Universities Bill which will soon be laid before Parliament will not in any way undermine academic freedom in public Universities.

Addressing the first session of the University of Professional Studies (UPSA) 11th Congregation, at the UPSA Auditorium, Mr Akufo-Addo said the bill will rather, amongst others, bring all public Universities under a common law, thereby making the administration of public universities less cumbersome and more efficient.

“The flimsy allegations being perpetrated that the bill will undermine academic freedom are deliberate mischief-making and disingenuous,” President Akufo Addo said.

The President added that his government and himself, “are firm subscribers as the bill amply demonstrates, of the cardinal importance of the principle of academic freedom in the development of all institutions of learning worth their sort.”

President Akufo-Addo addressing directly, the students who graduated with bachelor of law degrees said, “Even though lawyers in Ghana have contributed greatly to the success of the country thus far, there are some who are ready to justify negative developments no matter how bizarre”.

He urged the graduands to ensure that they become lawyers who will choose to respect the rule of law. He urged all Ghanaians to be “natural champions of a law-based state whose institutions are solid enough to sanction effectively vigilantism, bank frauds, cyber frauds, illegal mining, identity thefts, stealing of public funds, bribery and corruption, criminal cartels and criminal behavior in general.”

In all, a total number of 326 students graduated with Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations Management, Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Management, Bachelor of Laws, Diploma in Public Relations Management, and Diploma Information Technology Management.

Academic prizes were awarded to deserving graduating students. The best graduating student in the Faculty of Law went to Afua Emefa Amoaku Augustine, Best Graduating Student in the Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Studies went to Sandra Akweley Martey. Fourteen other students also received various awards in their fields of study.