The Gambian leader, Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, last Saturday, presided over the 5th convocation ceremony of the University of The Gambia, at a colourful ceremony held at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.

This year’s ceremony involved 207 graduands from the UTG, out of which 125 were conferred with bachelors degrees in various fields of studies, while 83 others received certificates and advanced diplomas, also in various fields of studies.

Saturday’s academic event which was marked by a colourful procession of the graduands, academic staff and the chancellor, was graced by the vice president and secretary of state for Women’s Affairs, Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy; the speaker of the National Assembly, Honorable Fatoumata Jahumpa-Ceesay; the chief justice, Abdou Karim Savage; secretaries of state; National Assembly members; service chiefs; members of the diplomatic community; goodwill philanthropists; as well as a cross section of students and the Gambian community.

Addressing the gathering, the Gambian leader, who is also the chancellor of the University of The Gambia, expressed delight in being able to participate "in another historic convocation" of the country’s highest institution of learning.

A convocation, Professor Jammeh noted, is an important milestone in the educational journey of a student as it marks the end of a stage in a person’s journey through life and the beginning of the next. He described it as an important occasion for the society, as the stock of educated and qualified human resources on whom the country relies for its development and transformation, is increased and strengthened by the graduating young men and women.

The chancellor observed that rapidity of change in all facets of human endeavours is now the order of the day, and that the rate at which technological knowledge becomes obsolete in this day and age is getting faster from year to year. President Jammeh further observed that much of the developed world has now entered the post-industrial era, while Africa is still stuck in the pre-industrial era.

He therefore noted that if Africa is to copy the industrialization process of the developed world without the critical mass of a well-trained and qualified human resource base possessing the right skills and knowledge, our efforts at change, transformation and development will remain frustrated.

“I have constantly harped on the need for us to be food self-sufficient as a nation and for us to transform agriculture in The Gambia. No nation can claim to be truly independent if it continues to depend on others to feed it. But transforming agriculture requires so many inputs from industry, that without a strong back-to-back linkage with the industrial sector, agricultural development will be seriously circumscribed. The fertilizer that you see, pesticides, tools and equipment etc, which are required for high levels of agricultural productivity, are all products of industrialization." he said.

"Agricultural transformation in Africa therefore calls for serious efforts at industrial development, which in turn depends on the availability of well trained people in science and technology and engineering,” he went on.

To this end, Professor Jammeh spoke about the Silicon Valley project that he initiated. He noted that action to open a science park in The Gambia is underway. He said that they are in the process of preparing the human resources required to implement these projects. It is for this reason, the Gambian leader noted, that he has accorded topmost priority to science and technology, as the urgency to produce trained scientists and technologists is overdue. He noted that this is the reason behind the award of scholarships to students in sciences, engineering and technology for studies abroad.

Aware of the fact that excellence in teaching and learning cannot be attained without the requisite infrastructure, the UTG chancellor revealed that plans are at an advanced stage for the commencement of work on the first phase of construction of the UTG campus, at Farabanta. He added "God willing, I expect to break ground in a few months time."

Professor Jammeh went on to say that "the aims and objectives for which my government established this university must be vigorously pursued and attained." He acknowledged that research conducted at universities generates new knowledge that can be used to produce goods and services to meet market demands. Professor Jammeh called for collective contribution towards the growth of the country’s highest institution of learning.

In this regard, he hailed the Gambia Ports Authority for their efforts to complement the government’s efforts in support of higher education through its laudable initiative dubbed ‘Operation Promoting Excellence in Sciences (OPES)’. In order to attain the goals and objectives enunciated in the vision 2020 blueprint, Professor Jammeh pledged that his government will continue to provide the requisite funding to strengthen both teaching and research at the university.

He revealed that negotiations are underway with partners for the provision of senior faculty members for law, computer science and pure sciences. "In my capacity as the head of state and chancellor, I shall continue to do everything possible to ensure that the staff are empowered and sufficiently motivated to discharge their duties and responsibilities to society’s complete satisfaction," he assured the gathering.

Turning his attention to the graduands, Professor Jammeh reminded them that they are entering the real world at a time of global financial and economic turmoil. He noted however that The Gambia should be grateful to Allah as in spite of all the turbulence and uncertainties in the global economy, the country’s economy is strong and resilient.

The country, he noted, has been rated by the London-based Economist magazine to be among the ten economies world-wide that are projected to grow at the highest rates in 2009.

"As you are now about to join the class of technocrats and professionals who have done the country proud by their exceptional contributions in the socio-economic development of this country, let me advise that you deepen your sense of public responsibility, consciously guiding your actions towards the need to find solutions to society’s problems," he said.

"To hold our own in today’s world certainly needs competitive talent, but more than this it requires men and women of character who are guided by a sense of patriotism, ethics, morality, humanism and responsibility. Cultivate these values in your inner selves and abide by them and the result will be a better country and a society of substance to pass on to our children and to the future generations," he stated.

Reminding the graduands that the people of the country are looking up to them with hopes and aspirations, the president urged them to serve with all the resources at their command, for it will be the crowning glory of the education they have received.

"I have an abiding faith in the destiny of our country. Looking at you, I am filled with strong confidence about our country’s future. I urge you to strive to become part of the agents of change we need to make our country strong, prosperous and fully developed," he said.

The UTG chancellor then congratulated Mousa Gibril Bala Gaye, SoS for Finance and Economic Affairs, and Amadou Samba, a prominent Gambian businessman, who were awarded UTG honorary doctorate degrees.

While commending the chairman and members of the governing council, senate, the vice chancellor and staff of the UTG for their contributions towards the development of the institution, Professor Jammeh also thanked philanthropists and other stakeholders for their support to the institution.

He however warned the officials at the UTG to keep politics out of the institution, stressing that the country’s highest institution of learning is apolitical. In a show of his strong resolve to the development of the university, the Gambian leader pledged US$500,000 for the construction of an ultra modern library for the institution. In the same vein, he also pledged US$250, 000 for the chair of agricultural endowment at the university.

Speaking earlier, Honourable Crispin Grey-Johnson, secretary of state for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, applauded the Gambian leader for his commitment, dedication and vision in having a university that is producing trained young men and women in diverse fields of studies.

SoS Grey-Johnson noted that The Gambia can confirm that the country can produce university graduates in the fields that are critical to “our development needs.” He noted that if there are people who "still continue to doubt our resolve and ability to dispense university education within these shores, the message to them is that the University of the Gambia is here to stay."

He went on: "We should all feel a sense of triumph, of accomplishment, and of satisfaction that we continue to enhance our capacity to allow young Gambian men and women to realize their dreams and meet their educational goals right here in their country," he noted.

Investing in the creation and strengthening of the UTG, he said, is a necessary move for our security, development and future. He outlined that it is in awareness of this imperative fact that the government of The Gambia stands firm in its resolve to aim for high quality in the dispensation of higher education in the country.

The Higher Education secretary of state went on to say that the government has continued its unflinching support to the university, revealing that last year, a total of 13 million dalasis was disbursed to the university.

"Four hundred and twenty students were provided full scholarships, and buses and other forms of vehicles were made available to management by the chancellor, President Jammeh," he said, and pledged that that form of support will take a more robust level in years to come.

For his part, Abdoulie Touray, chairman of the University of The Gambia Governing Council, reaffirmed their commitment and steadfastness in their policy making roles. He informed the convocation gathering that during the period under review, they had worked assiduously to move the university forward. He expressed their determination to consolidate on it and redouble their efforts and resourcefulness to accelerate the systematic and systemic development of this citadel of learning.

Among the cornerstone of their policy, he outlined, is the sensitization of stakeholders about the need to take ownership of the institution, as well as to transform the university into a centre of excellence "in our life time."

While acknowledging government’s firm commitment to the development of the campus at Farabantang, Chairman Touray noted that the governing council has also initiated scores of strategies geared towards alleviating the congestion and space constraints the university is grappling with. He therefore reported that through collaborations with the Gambia Agency for the Management of Public Works (GAMWORKS), arrangements have reached an advanced stage for the construction of a resource centre in the campus. In a similar vein, he revealed that an institute of performing arts will soon be a reality, thanks to the collaboration with a college of performing arts in Norway.

"The Peace House, being financed by Norwegian philanthropist, Ms Helga Anderson at a cost of 4 million dalasi, is nearing completion.  In addition, through our British study partnership, Mrs Jane Mackenzie, a British philanthropist and a former teacher of President Jammeh, was able to raise a sum of 14,000 pound sterling in UK and the Middle East for the construction of a modern library at MDI,"  he said.   

He revealed further that in solidarity with their development agenda, they have entered into a partnership agreement with Tomas Bata University in the Czech Republic, for the establishment of a Medical Device Production Unit in The Gambia. The UTG governing council chairman joined others in urging the graduands to utilize their knowledge in the right way and serve their country in its development strives.

Associate Professor, Dr Ousman Nyang, the acting vice chancellor of the UTG, expressed similar sentiments. Joining the rest of the speakers in describing the 5th convocation as historic in the annals of the institution, Dr Nyang spoke at length about the achievements of the UTG. This year’s convocation ceremony was punctuated by the presentation of an award in the form of a certificate and a trophy to President Jammeh for his show of magnanimity. By this certificate, the Gambian leader was endowed a professorial chair in agriculture, henceforth called the "Professor Jammeh Chair of Agriculture."

The ceremony also witnessed the conferment of honorary doctorate degrees on Mousa Gibril Bala Gaye, secretary of state for Finance and Economic Affairs, and Amadou Samba, a prominent Gambian businessman, by the University of the Gambia. At least 26 best graduating students from diverse fields of studies also received awards and prizes. Among them were Mariam Jaye, best overall student and the valedictorian;

Momodou Lamin Jarju, best student - maths and physics; Lamin Colley, best student in agriculture. They all received D50,000 and a laptop each from President Jammeh. Ousman Badjie and Haddy Semega Janneh both received D50,000 and a laptop each for winning the Muhammed Yahya Jammeh and Mariam Yahya Jammeh prizes for leadership.