The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, has held a special ceremony in memory of its staff and students who were departed to eternity during the 2009/ 2010 academic year, and to express appreciation to the Almighty God for His blessings. The event was under the theme: "Remember the wondrous deeds that the Lord Has done".
In a sermon, Reverend Steve Asante, the Senior Pastor of Asokwa Baptist Church in Kumasi and Chairman of the Ghana Baptist Convention, emphasized the need for members of the University to express gratitude to God. "God is pleased when people offer praises and express gratitude to Him", he noted. He observed that, although 70% of Ghanaians claim to be Christians, yet Ghana is listed as one of the corrupt countries in Africa.
Reverend Asante asserted that, religious people should be holy and desist from deviant activities such as corruption, promiscuity and other forms of immorality. He urged students to remain industrious and determined in order to be successful in life. He, therefore, commended the leadership of the University, especially the Vice-Chancellor, Professor W.O Ellis, for blazing the trail set by his predecessors.
Addressing the ceremony, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor William Otoo Ellis, was full of praise to God for His blessings during the 2009/ 2010 academic year. He used the occasion to express appreciation to staff and students of the University for their ingenuity, patience and sacrifice. He noted that: "Life is not about getting what you want; it is about being grateful for what you have".
Professor Ellis explained that, the Remembrance and Thanksgiving Day, is a solemn occasion which was instituted in the University in 2007 with the purpose of thanking God for His goodness to the University and its constituents, and also to pay tribute to departed staff and students. He used the opportunity to commend the Guest Speaker, Reverend Steve Asante, for delivering an inspirational message, and hoped to call on him in the future.
The Vice-Chancellor led a delegation comprising Senior Members of the University to console the bereaved families who represented the 18 departed staff and 18 departed students, respectively, during the 2009/ 2010 academic year. Rev. Steve Asante said prayers on behalf of the represented families and other recognized associations including the Students' Representative Council (SRC), Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU), University Teachers' Association of Ghana (UTAG) and the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA).
Among the dignitaries present were: Professor K.K. Adarkwa, the immediate past Vice-Chancellor; Professor Peter Donkor, the Acting Pro Vice-Chancellor; Mr. Kobby Yebo-Okrah, the Registrar; Rev. Dr. Paul K. Boafo, the Protestant Chaplain; Rev. Fr. Dr. Peter Addae Mensah, the Catholic Chaplain; Professor W. Oduro, the Dean of Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources; Professor (Mrs) Ibok Oduro, the Head of Biochemistry Department; Dr. Kofi Owusu-Daaku, the Dean of Students; and Mr. Solomon Panford, the University Relations Officer.
