UG Launch 7th Annual Colloquium of Faculty of Social Sciences

The seventh annual colloquium of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ghana (UG) has opened in Accra to discuss and share research findings which will aid government and non-governmental organisations to formulate policies for nation building.

The two-day event, which has the theme: "The Social Sciences and Development in the Post Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Era: Old and Emerging Issues," is being attended by researchers, academia, and students among others.

Professor Charity Sylvia Akotia, Acting Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, said the colloquium has become one of the important activities on the Faculty's calendar which also serves as a platform to share knowledge and to broaden understanding of scientific issues in the fields of study. She said the main focus of the colloquium, which started seven years ago, has been generally, on emerging and current issues, such as poverty, mental health, ageing, climate change, migration, oil and gas, environmental issues, reproductive health, social protection, governance, non-communicable diseases and gender inequalities.

Prof Akotia said the 2014 theme was chosen to reflect the achievements of the MDGs and the challenges beyond and that participants will be addressing the cutting edge in the MDGs and related issues.

Prof Samuel Agyei-Mensah, Interim Provost of College of Humanities, who chaired the opening ceremony, said the MDGs which were developed in 2000 and expected to be met in 2015, faced major issues as to the likelihood of them being met.

He explained that all the MDGs are not expected to be met by all countries by the target period but the ultimate aim was to help align national issues that would improve the lives of people, especially children, women and men.

He said the attainment of the MDGs have been facing challenges as a result of low economic growth, and decline in aid; and that there was the need also to address issues of unemployment.

Prof Ernest Aryeetey, Vice-Chancellor, University of Ghana, said the Faculty of Sciences was being transformed into the School of Social Sciences and that would put it at the critical position of addressing many relevant social issues dispassionately to help find solutions to national issues.

Dr Regina Adutwum, Director General, National Development and Planning Commission (NDPC), in a speech read on her behalf said among the eight MDGs, Ghana has be able to achieve the MDG1-to eradicate extreme hunger and poverty.

She however said on the other MDGs, especially MDGs 4and 5, Ghana has disappointedly performed below expectation with high increases in maternal mortality, which Ghana is still struggling to address. The eight MDGs - which range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by the target date of 2015 - form a blueprint agreed to by all the world's countries leading development institutions.

She called for research inputs that would throw more light on efforts and interventions which would help the MDGs in the post-MDG era.

Meanwhile, the Faculty has rewarded four of its members for their meritorious services toward the Faculty.

Various sessions would be held to discuss papers and research findings on development issues affecting Ghana.