The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS), Professor Emmanuel Kanchebe Derbile, on Monday, 27th January 2026 officially handed over a repurposed Lecturers’ Common Room to the Executive of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG).
The brief but symbolic ceremony marked another significant step in the Vice-Chancellor’s efforts to improve staff welfare and enhance the academic working environment in the University. It was attended by key officers of the University, including the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor Issaka Kanton Osumanu, the Registrar, Dr. Job Asante, the Director of Works and Municipal Services, Ing. Reginald Assibey Ankrah; the Director of Procurement, the Director of University, and some technical staff of the University. The UTAG executives present were: the President, Dr. Godwin T. W. Achana; Secretary, Dr. Dramani File; and the Treasurer, Dr. Lawrance Atuna.
In presenting the facility, the Director of Works announced that it had been fully completed and was ready for use. The facility features a spacious common room complemented by an adjoining communal workstation designed to accommodate at least four lecturers at a time. The common room provides a comfortable space for rest, collaboration, and professional interaction among lecturers.
Professor Derbile described the project as a strategic management intervention aimed at addressing long-standing challenges faced by academic staff, particularly the absence of dedicated on-campus spaces for preparation and relaxation following the University’s transition to a full-fledged university. He noted that the facility represents the first phase of broader plans to enhance staff welfare and assured lecturers of Management’s commitment to the eventual provision of individual offices for all academic staff. He encouraged lecturers to make effective use of the facility in support of teaching, research, and professional development.
Responding on behalf of the lecturers, the UTAG President expressed appreciation to the Vice-Chancellor and his Management for prioritising the welfare of lecturers. He described the Common Room as a timely and practical intervention that would significantly ease the day-to-day challenges faced by lecturers and commended Management for its collaborative and forward-looking leadership.
The ceremony concluded with the formal presentation of the keys to the UTAG President, symbolising the official handing over of the facility for immediate use. The event also, underscored the University’s continued commitment to improving infrastructure and creating a supportive environment for teaching and learning