Makerere University was privileged to host Prof. Samuel Nii Ardey Codjoe, President of the Union for African Population Studies (UAPS) on Tuesday 27th February 2018 as preparations got underway for Uganda to host the 8th African Population Conference in November 2019. Prof. Codjoe who also serves as Director of the Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS) of the University of Ghana (UG), Legon was accompanied by the UAPS East Africa Representative-Dr. Yovani Lubaale and met by the Acting Director, Centre for Population and Applied Statistics (CPAS), Mrs. Agnes Ssekiboobo and a host of staff from the School of Statistics and Planning, College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS).

“Ever since I was a young man, I had always dreamed of one day coming to Makerere University,” said Prof. Codjoe, before adding “I am glad that this dream has come to pass today.”

“Both Makerere and the University of Ghana share the reputation of being the premier and largest institutions of Higher Education in our respective countries,” continued Prof. Codjoe reflectively “But Makerere has always been the shining light; that beacon on a hill, despite all the challenging times the institution had to go through in the past” he added.

He urged the staff present to value the great University that they are privileged to serve and work hard to keep it shining. He also commended Uganda for sending a strong delegation to the 7th African Population Conference 2015 held in Johannesburg, South Africa, acknowledging that this showed the strong will and commitment of the nation to host the 8th Edition.

Prof. Codjoe in his presentation shared that the Union is a Pan-African nonprofit scientific organization established through the initiative of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) by the Third General Conference of African Demographers, Statisticians and Planners held in Addis Ababa in March 1984, in order to promote the scientific study of population in Africa. The UAPS General Assembly; the main decision-making body of the Union, meets every four years in an African city.

The aim of the conference is to share and disseminate scientific information on key population, health and development issues facing the African continent and promote the integration of research evidence in policy making.

UAPS promotes seven scientific thematic panels which drive the research agenda of the Union. These are: African Census; Capabilities Approach in Population Studies; Fertility; Gender; Migration; Environment and Development; and Computational Social Science. Prof. Codjoe encouraged the Makerere Academia to take keen interest in the activities of these panels adding that UAPS strongly believes in capacity building, especially for young academics.

In relation to the upcoming conference, Prof. Codjoe urged Makerere staff to prepare a set of scientific presentations specific to Uganda and the East African region demographics. These, he said, would be presented on the Uganda day of the conference; a day dedicated to the host country to showcase to international participants the salient and pertinent research topics of Uganda and the East African region. “This is also the perfect day for you to come dressed in your traditional attires so as to add colour to the day,” he added.

A select number of presentations from the Uganda day form part of the special section, published as part of UAPS’ African Population Studies (APS) Journal; an open access bilingual journal published in April and October every year and hosted by the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa.

Speaking on behalf of the University, Mrs. Agnes Ssekiboobo shared apologies from the Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration), Prof. William Bazeyo, who was unable to attend the meeting in person.  She welcomed Prof. Codjoe to Makerere University and thanked the UAPS General Assembly for choosing Uganda to host the 8th African Population Conference.

“This is an important conference and we thank Prof. Codjoe for explaining right from the onset, what is expected of us as a University. Uganda has hosted a lot of other equally important international and regional conferences but your presentation has shed more light on what is specifically expected of the academic community. We will start our preparations immediately” said Mrs. Ssekiboobo.

She also appreciated the need to establish a formal collaboration with UAPS by signing a Memorandum of Understanding and undertook to follow up the process.

Also present at the meeting were; Assoc. Prof. Leonard Atuhaire, Assoc. Prof. Nazarius Mbona Tumwesigye, Dr. Abel Nzaboona, Dr. John Mushomi, Dr. Wandera Stephen, Mr. Adrian Ssessanga, Mr. Esau Atwongeirwe as well as the National Population Council (NPC)’s Ms. Hope Nzeire and Ms. Nabawanuka Juliet Zoe.

Moving a vote of thanks, Dr. John Mushomi expressed gratitude to Prof. Codjoe for taking time off to not only visit Uganda but also Makerere University and make a presentation on what was expected of the academic community. He also thanked the NPC for organising Prof. Codjoe’s visit and seeing to it that he enjoyed a comfortable and memorable stay while in Uganda. He concluded by pledging his colleagues’ commitment to ensuring that the 8th African Population Conference would be a roaring success.

Article by Public Relations Office