Speech Delivered By The Vice-Chancellor Prof (Mrs.) Smile Dzisi On The Occasion Of The University’s Long And Dedicated Service Awards Presentation Ceremony, Held On Friday, 5th October, 2018

• Chairperson of the Governing Council, Prof Samuel Nana Obeng Apori,
• Members of the Governing Council,
• Municipal Chief Executivefor New Juaben South, Isaac Appaw-Gyasi
• Pro Vice-Chancellor,
• The Registrar,
• Deans, Directors and HoDs,
• Colleague Staff Members,
• Our friends from the media,
• Ladies and Gentlemen,

 GOOD MORNING

I warmly welcome you all to this important function to reward long service, loyalty, dedication and hard work and also to officially launch our long awaited Koforidua Technical University Cloth. A special welcome goes to Hon. Isaac Appaw-Gyasi, the Municipal Chief Executive for New Juaben South for agreeing to take time off his busy schedule to grace this ceremony, I am also happy to have our Council chair to witness this important function.

It is a greet joy for me to address this august gathering to reward hard work. It is a known fact that the most important resource in any organisation is its employees and without such, failure is imminent. The Koforidua Technical University as a whole has undergone drastic transformation in the twenty (20) years of its existence with a dedicated workforce. We are therefore here today to acknowledge and celebrate some of our colleagues for their hard work and contributions towards the achievements of the University.

Five years ago the management of the university with approval from the then Governing Council instituted this award ceremony to recognise and acknowledge long and meritorious service to the University. We are very grateful that the current Council has also endorsed the idea. Since the inception of the award ceremony 66 staff have so far been honoured.

Distinguished Guests, Colleague Staff Members, Ladies and Gentlemen,

This year’s ceremony is very unique, it is the 20^th Anniversary edition so it is in four-fold: Long, Dedicated and Meritorious Award, Retired Staff Recognition, the Official Launch of Koforidua Technical University corporate Cloth and a Media Soirée in the evening.

 Long, Dedicated and Meritorious Award,

I am privileged to state that, this is the fifth consecutive ceremony the University has held to honour deserving staff. The awards comprise citations and cash prizes to each deserving staff. Let me emphasize that, the award is not automatically given to staff who have worked here for fifteen years and above but to those who really merit or deserve it.

In today’s ceremony, 39 teaching and nonteaching staff who have rendered quality long services will be rewarded. The break down is 28 Junior Staff, 6 Senior Staff, 5 Senior Members will be honoured. The labourer is indeed worthy of his reward. These staff members that we are celebrating today have helped to make the University’s vision a reality. They have variously contributed to our new University status, Congratulations. Thank you for your great contributions to the University. You are valuable members of the team. Ayekoo!!

Retired Staff Recognition,

Again, as part of the University’s commitment to honour employees’ service to the University, Management has considered it important to support the recognition of retiring staff members who have invested a significant portion of their careers here. Therefore today, this event is being held to honour those who have retired this year from this institution. We have a 3-year backlog of retired staff that we are yet to be honoured and we promise to organise a special event in their honour very soon.

 Official Launch of KTU Corporate Cloth,

Koforidua Technical University in the celebration of its 20^th Anniversary and rebranding itself has designed its first corporate cloth. This cloth will help build the University’s corporate identity, identify and uniquely present the University to its stakeholders and bind its members together. We are very excited to outdoor this beautiful KTU Cloth in this ceremony. In appreciation of the hard work and commitment of staff of KTU, the cloth is given out free or pro bono to each staff in furtherance of the University’s 20^th Anniversary milestone.

We are grateful to the committee that work tirelessly to facilitate the design and production of the cloth (Prof. John Owuso, Dr. Regina Okyere-Dankwah, Madam Phyllis Tetteh, Dr. Victor Dedume, Miss Florence Ohenewaa Appiah, Miss Sefarkor Awurama Adabunu).

It is our prayer that as we you put on this cloth it will unite us more as an institution and inspire us to work harder to the achievement of the Vision and Goals of the institution.

Media Soirée

This programme will be specially organized in the evening today in appreciation of our friends from the media for their good partnership, loyalty and faithfully carrying our stories across. You are all invited to dine and wine with our friends from the media. I want to commend my hardworking PRO Madam Victoria Kuusangyele for this laudable initiative.

Prof Chair, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The simple purpose of this ceremony is to offer the University, a platform to reward loyalty, dedication and hard work of its staff members who have been in the active service of the University for fifteen years and above without blemish.

I am full of pride to state that KTU is blessed with hard working and dedicated Staff Members. Management is cognisant of the fact that our growth and success are dependent on having devoted and capable team members such as you, and we want to recognize the contributions you have made in helping us achieve our goals.

To continue to inspire and recognize hard work and innovation, management has plans to institute awards for staff who would come out with innovative ideas and products to the development of the University. Indeed, hard work and innovation must be appreciated, rewarded and celebrated.

With the expansion of academic programmes in our University over the years, the demands on staff have also increased correspondingly. It is, therefore, a fact that, KTU is what it is today essentially as a result of the effort and ingenuity of its staff and we do appreciate this fact. Ayekoo to us all.

Distinguished Guests,

It is indeed, very gratifying to note that, in spite of all the challenges and trying circumstances our awardees have persevered, stayed on and have been able to work for the University for all these number of years. We salute you today for your persistence devotion to duty and determination. I trust that you will continue to serve KTU in the same manner, which has now awarded you this special recognition.

My dear award winners, I would like to encourage you to continue to place your invaluable knowledge, practical and technical expertise to the service of the University by mentoring the young and up-and-coming staff for them to learn from your great feats. And also, I would like to urge all staff to emulate their examples to enhance the development of the university. There are more challenging times ahead with our University Status and also preparation towards accommodating Free Senior High School Students in 2020 but we are well able.

Colleague Staff Members,

Let us all take pride in the fact that, it was as a result of our individual and collective efforts that has lifted the University to its current status among the comity of Technical Universities. Let us view this achievement as our quota to the development of Ghana through the training of the nation’s science and technology manpower.

I would like to once again welcome all of us to this programme especially to our Guest Speaker Hon. Isaac Appaw-Gyasi who has a very long relationship with this University.

I would also like to take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude to you all staff members for your sacrifice, support and commitment to KTU’s vision to be a reference point for world–class science and technology education and applied research. We are very much on course and with God on our side we will make a great impact in the New Juaben Community and beyond this nation.

Let our enviable values of Innovation, Integrity, Impact, Commitment, Teamwork guide us in all our endeavours.

I wish to commend the Planning Committee of this greet event and the Fashion Department led by Dr. Joseph Osei for their contribution to this event.

Finally, I wish to conclude with a word of wisdom from the good Old Book

Psalm 133 verses 1 and 3:

1. How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!
2. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore

Long live KTU.

Long Live Ghana.

God bless you all.