On August 1, 2022, when the Out-going Vice Chancellor of the University for Development Studies,
Professor Gabriel Ayum Teye, stepped into the Council Chamber, the chamber from within which he had
chaired several meetings, including the members of the University’s Administrative committee, all of the
administrators present knew that this would be the final time the man who had been chairing their
meetings in the last seven years, would be sitting on the chairman’s seat.

The mood was pensive, perhaps even sad, when the out-going Vice-Chancellor, Professor Gabriel Ayum
Teye made his closing remarks in what he termed as his final role as Administrative Committee
Chairman.

Prof. Teye was sworn in as the Vice-Chancellor of UDS in October, 2015 and started chairing the
Administrative Committee meeting on November 9 st, that same year. The Administrative Committee
Meeting is a monthly gathering of heads of various key offices in the university that converge on the first
Monday of every month to discuss diverse administrative issues in the university. The Administrative
Committee meetings provide a platform for administrators of the University to review activities of the
previous month and to plan for the coming month in a bid to ensure smooth administration of the
University.

The Out-going Vice-Chancellor Prof. Teye disclosed that he introduced the Administrative Committee
meetings when he assumed office in 2015. Backed by the experience he got as a former Pro VC, he
observed that most of the decisions taken at Management meetings usually do not get implemented. He
explained that the Management meeting is a weekly assembly of only Principal Officers that takes place
every Monday to discuss issues concerning the University and also to plan for the week ahead.

According to Prof. Teye, he noticed that most of the time, issues discussed at the Management meetings
do not get to the implementation level and had to be re-tabled several times. This, he explained, was
because the right people to implement the decisions were not part of the decision making. He therefore
introduced the Administrative Committee Meeting with the aim of bringing all the relevant offices and
officers on board to get the university running smoothly.

Prof. Teye thanked Management and staff of the University for the massive Support given him
throughout his tenure of office. He called on members to be diligent with their duties and avoid things
that have the tendencies of dragging the name of the University into disrepute. He also noted that the
University has many challenges that require the contribution of every staff, starting from the Vice-
Chancellor to the last person in the pecking order, in order to be able to achieve results. He further
called on staff to learn to stay and work together for the growth and development of the University
amidst their religious, cultural and regional diversities. He expressed his hope and desire to see the
university grow to be the best in Ghana.

Professor Ayum Teye appealed to all members of the Administrative Committee to support the in-
coming Vice-Chancellor, Professor Seidu Al-hassan to Succeed. He encouraged the committee members
to encourage the staff in their various offices to offer the maximum support to the in-coming Vice-
Chancellor in order to enable him to move the University to the next level

The Director of Finance, Dr. Mohammed Hardi Shaibu, thanked the Vice-Chancellor for his unwavering
contribution to the growth of the University. He lauded him for the numerous developmental and
academic programmes that have propelled the university to its current position and assured him that his
good deeds will forever remain boldly written in the books of the University.

Dr. Hardi acknowledged the vast Knowledge and experience the Vice–Chancellor possesses and called
on him to always avail himself whenever the University calls on him for guidance. He thanked the VC for
all the support, guidance and mentoring he has provided to the staff of the university. He wished him
the best of luck in all in subsequent endeavors.

Present at the meeting were heads of all administrative offices in the University.

Story By: Ayuba Ibrahim (University Relations)