UCC Hosts Regional Leadership Training for Female Academics & Staff in West Africa

The University of Cape Coast is hosting a two-day Regional Leadership training for female academics and staff in Higher Education Institutions in West African Sub-region. The workshop is being organised by the RETRIDAL-National Open University of Nigeria and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL). Opening the workshop, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast who was represented by the Provost of the College of Health and Allied Sciences, Prof. Harold S. Amonoo-Kuofi observed that African women were now beginning to enjoy greater recognition by taking up leadership positions on the continent and in the West African Sub-region. He noted that through leadership training women could acquire leadership skills and be made more effective and more relevant wherever they find themselves especially in various sectors of the economy. Prof. Kuupole said the workshop was very timely especially at a time when a number of tertiary institutions in West Africa were facing leadership challenges. He attributed these challenges to leadership style on the part of those in the helm of affairs that has continued to plague educational sector for quite some time now.  He therefore indicated that the solution to this crises was to give proper leadership skills to Senior University Academic and Administrative staff through such capacity building workshops. He congratulated the 36 female academics and staff for being selected from institutions of higher learning in the West African Sub-region. In his welcome remarks at the workshop, the Vice-Chancellor of National Open University of Nigeria, Prof. Vincent Ado Tenebe noted that the workshop was special because womenfolk were rarely given the pride of place which they rightfully deserve by society in an African setting. He noted that there should be an investment in women because they are dependable human resources and true allies of the men folk at all times. Prof. Tenebe expressed the belief that boosting women’s productivity at the workplace should be considered a priority and as such pursued with vigour stressing that “For the simple reason that women should embrace the can do spirit anywhere that they may find themselves.”  He also indicated that participants at the workshop would be able to demonstrate awareness of the challenges facing women academics in competitive local and global contexts and also benefit from the experiences of women in positions of academic and community leadership. He added that the workshop should help participants to demonstrate better understanding of the changing roles of leadership for women in higher education in West African Sub-region. The Provost of the College of Distance Education, UCC, Prof. George K. T. Oduro who also spoke at the programme said the college was excited to host the workshop in their premises. He wished them a fruitful deliberation and assured them of the support of the College and the University in general.