Connect with us

General

H.E Kufuor advises on Uganda’s Oil Resource

Published

on

The former President of Ghana, H.E. John Agyekum Kufuor, has advocated for good governance, as a key strategy in managing Uganda’s oil resource. He was delivering a public lecture at an overflowing Makerere University Main Hall on the 2nd August 2013. The lecture was titled, ‘Oil resource Management and its Utilization for the Economic Transformation – The case study of Ghana.’

“There are many nations without resource wealth but who have attained dramatic heights of transformation. Countries like Singapore, South Korea, and some of the so called ‘little tigers’ of Southeast Asia are typical examples. It was not so much by the abundance of their natural resources as by the quality of their leadership and their commitment to the progress and welfare of their peoples,” he said.

“Economic transformation with or without oil, arguably depends on leadership, good governance and development,” he added.

H.E Kufuor pointed out that to manage her oil resource, Ghana put in place ample legislation including the Petroleum Revenue Management Act 2011 and the Petroleum Commission Act 2011. These laws had strong provisions on governance, oversight, transparency and accountability – plus rigorous provisions for reporting on oil fund assets, expenditures and investments.

In his welcome remarks, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. John Ddumba Ssentamu, thanked H.E Kufuor for accepting to deliver the lecture at Makerere University.

“On behalf of Makerere University, I thank you for accepting to deliver a public lecture and be part of celebrations of 90 years of this institution. Most Ugandans belief that the discovery of oil will transform Uganda from a peasant to an upper income society. We should however note that development is not possible if it does not take place in the minds of people too,” he said.

The Chancellor, Prof. Mondo Kagonyera presented H.E Kufuor with a medallion in appreciation of his public lecture at this Institution. President Kufuor congratulated Makerere University for clocking ninety and hailed her for the excellent human resource output, that has benefited the region.

The Prime Minister of Uganda, Hon. Amama Mbabazi said that Uganda has put in place good policies to manage the oil resource, with input from countries like Ghana and Norway. He emphasized that oil will be a blessing to Uganda and a benefit to all.

The highly interactive lecture was discussed by Dr. Ezra Suruma, a Senior Presidential Advisor on Finance and Economic Planning; Dr. Julius Kizza, Associate Prof. Department of Political Science, Makerere University; Godber Tumushabe, Executive Director ACODE and Mr. Ernest Rubondo, a Commissioner in the Petroleum Exploration and Production Department, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development.

The discussants described the lecture as timely to Uganda, especially on the issue of accountability to the eagerly awaiting citizens. They agreed that good governance, coupled with proper legislation were indeed key drivers of excellent resource management.

The Public lecture, moderated by Patrick Kamara – a Journalist, was organized by Makerere University Convocation. It attracted a number of high profile people including Makerere University Staff, Government officials, Development partners, Diplomats, Politicians, Makerere University Students and alumni.

The lecture is part of the year long celebrations of Makerere University, which will close on the 3rd Aug. 2013, in a Grand finale.

See Downloads for the full Public Lecture.

Article by
Marion ALINA
Public Relations Office

Mark Wamai

General

Office of the Academic Registrar Lauded for Groundbreaking Achievements In Digitalization

Published

on

Mr. Charles Ssentongo (5th Left), together with Office of the Academic Registrar staff members are joined by Dr. Dickson Kalungi (4th Right) and MUST Registrars for a group photo in front of the Senate Building on 25th March 2025.

By Gerald Ochwo

On 25th March 2025, a delegation of Registrars from Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) undertook a benchmarking exercise at Makerere University, with a specific focus on the latter’s pioneering efforts in academic records digitalization. The delegation, led by Dr. Dickson Kalungi, Ag. Deputy Academic Registrar was received by Mr. Charles Ssentongo, Deputy Academic Registrar in charge of Admissions and Records Division, who represented the Academic Registrar (AR), Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi.

The visit was prompted by Makerere University‘s trailblazing achievements in digitalizing academic records, as exemplified by the Digitalization of Academic Records Project (DARP). This initiative has been instrumental in creating a centralized, digital one stop repository of all University’s academic records, thereby enhancing the efficiency, accuracy, and security of academic records management.

In his welcoming remarks, Mr. Ssentongo conveyed the Academic Registrar’s message and highlighted Makerere University‘s efforts to digitalize all its processes and records. He further noted that the university is intentional about creating a digital ecosystem that makes academic records retrieval easy and efficient.

As a university, we are now intentional with the digitalization of all our processes including, digitization of our manual records that date as way back as the inception of Makerere University. Currently, the DARP project as gone as far as creating a one stop center for both Academic document verification and certification, whereby our former graduates, will only need to access the online verification and certification portal and submit their documents without necessarily having to travel many physical distances to Makerere University” Mr. Ssentongo remarked.

Registrars from MAK and MUST pose for a group photo after the meeting. Left is article author Gerald Ochwo.
Registrars from MAK and MUST pose for a group photo after the meeting. Left is article author Gerald Ochwo.

In his appreciation remarks, the MUST head of delegation, Dr. Dickson Kalungi, thanked the Academic Registrar for honoring their request to come and learn from the best practices that exist at Makerere University and particularly commended the Department for the great steps and strides made in pioneering modern Academic records storage management systems.

“I want to sincerely thank the Office of the Academic Registrar for sparing time and organizing this meeting. As a University, we have embarked on a transformative change drive whereby we intend to automate all our registry processes including, the management of Academic Records. The DARP project at Makerere University, has been one project where we draw a number of lessons and we are eager to go and implement some of the best practices we have observed here today”

Conclusion

The benchmarking exercise undertaken by Mbarara University of Science and Technology demonstrates the significance of Makerere University and particularly, the Office of the Academic Registrar’s achievements in academic records digitalization. The DARP project serves as a model for other institutions to follow, highlighting the importance of investing in digital solutions to enhance the efficiency, accuracy, and security of academic records management. It further demonstrates the university’s commitment to sharing knowledge and best practices with other institutions. Makerere University‘s efforts in digitalizing academic records have set a high standard for other universities to emulate, and the DARP project is a shining example of innovation and excellence in academic records management.

Gerald Ochwo is the Liaison Officer, Office of the Academic Registrar

Mak Editor

Continue Reading

General

Press Release: Launch of #MakRun2025

Published

on

Makerere University officially launches the 5th Edition of the Makerere University Marathon #MakRun2025, 27th March 2025, Main Hall, Main Building, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

27th March 2025

LAUNCH OF THE 5TH EDITION OF THE MAKERERE UNIVERSITY MARATHON (#MakRun2025)

Makerere University is pleased to announce the launch of the 5th edition of the Makerere
University Marathon, also known as #MakRun2025, under the theme “Run the Hills for the Future” which is scheduled to take place on 17th August 2025.

The MakRun2025 is targeting 10,000 participants drawn from the university community, corporate entities, sports enthusiasts, and the general public. Proceeds from this year’s marathon will go towards further equipping the Makerere University Disability Support Unit and strengthening the Makerere University Endowment Fund.

Speaking as the Guest of Honour, the Minister for Sports, Hon. Peter Ogwang, emphasized the unifying power of sports, stating that the “#MakRun2025 is not only about physical endurance it is a uniting force that brings people together from all walks of life, driving us towards a common goal, advancing education and inclusivity for all.”

As part of the launch event, Makerere University officially handed over assistive equipment to the Disability Support Unit, procured from proceeds of the #MakRun2024. The equipment includes:

  • Focus Blue 40 Braille Display – 5th Generation for the Visually Impaired
  • Everest D5 Braille Embosser
  • DUXBURY Braille Transcription Software
  • And other essential assistive tools to support students living with disabilities.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, reaffirmed the importance of this annual event, stating that “This event has become one of the most significant social and community engagement activities in our university calendar, bringing together students, staff, alumni, corporate partners, and members of the wider public for a good cause.”

In his remarks, the Ag. Chairperson of the Makerere University Endowment Fund, Mr. Barnabas Tumusingize, highlighted the growth of the initiative: “What started as a small university event has now evolved into a major attraction. To professionalize the event, we are incorporating race timing chips, cash prizes for winners, among other enhancements, with a vision of making it a regionally recognized major race by 2027.”

We call upon all members of the Makerere University community and the general public to participate and support this noble cause.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Tuhirirwe Karane
Communications Officer
Makerere University Endowment Fund
+256 414 660 416/+256 703 647496

Mak Editor

Continue Reading

General

Call For Abstracts: Global Symposium on Insects for Food, Feed & Food Security in Africa

Published

on

Some of the speakers lined up for the Global Symposium on Insects for Food, Feed, and Food Security in Africa, 5th–6th June 2025, Onomo Hotel, Nakasero, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Makerere University, in collaboration with Michigan State University, invites researchers, development actors, regulators, and practitioners to submit abstracts for the Global Symposium on Insects for Food, Feed, and Food Security in Africa.

The symposium will be held from 5th–6th June 2025 at Onomo Hotel in Kampala, under the theme: Advancing the role of insects in African farming systems for feed, food, and food security. The symposium aims to share knowledge and experiences in advancing the use of insects as a solution to Africa’s food, feed, and food security challenges. Contributions on the following sub-themes are welcome.

  1. Insects as animal feed for sustainable livestock production livelihoods
  2. Insects for human food and food security, including indigenous insect food systems
  3. Insects for improved soil health and crop production
  4. Commercialization of insect farming and products, including regulation and standardization

Important Dates:
Abstract Submission Deadline: 18th April 2025
Feedback to Participants: 2nd May 2025

Registration Fee:  Participants will be required to pay a fee of USD 45, which will cover meals and venue costs. Limited scholarship slots are available for students and farmers. Please note that participants are responsible for their transportation and accommodation.

Submission Guidelines: Abstracts should align with the symposium themes and must be submitted by the deadline. Further details on submission formats and requirements will be provided upon request.

For further information about the symposium and Abstract submission, please refer to the contact below.

Dr. Amulen Deborah Ruth (PhD)
Makerere University
College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity
Department of Livestock Industrial Resources
P.O. Box 7062, Kampala
Phone: +256 782 315 636

Mak Editor

Continue Reading

Trending