The Vice Chancellor of Takoradi Technical University, TTU, Rev. Prof. John Frank Eshun, has conscientized senior career administrators against the thought that transfer is a curse but rather, a blessing that must be welcomed without reservations.

Speaking at the maiden 2-day Retreat for Senior Career Administrators at the Registry under the theme; “Right Practices, Real Reform, Advancing Administrative Leadership and with Integrity”, Rev. Prof. Eshun advised the administrators to see transfers as an opportunity to build capacity across the various Units, Departments and Directorates of the University to advance their careers.

Sharing his own experiences with transfers, the Vice Chancellor explained how transfers open doors to career advancement.

“If you are transferred to any place, you are supposed to be there and do your best. If you take the Vice Chancellor as an example, l started at the unit, I became an HoD, a Dean, a Vice Rector and then Vice Chancellor. Where l sit, I can speak to all issues. So If you are an administrator, you should be able to go through all the units and all sections. If you look at the Organogram, the top is the Registrar, and you can be a Registrar. There will come a time that you are a Registrar, and you don’t know anything, which is not good for the university. So when you are transferred, it is not a curse or a punishment. For instance, if you go through promotion and you fail, it is not that somebody dislikes you,” he advised.

While commending administrators for their critical contribution to the growth of the University, Rev. Prof. Eshun emphasized the need to build the capacity of administrators, hence the retreat.

“Your dedication and outstanding performance have been instrumental in our progress and for that, I commend you all. As you are all aware, the university is growing. Currently we have about 20,000 students so we should be able to do things differently and that is why this retreat is very important. Now I have realized that some administrators do not really understand their role. The university is an academic institution, and administrators support academic work on campus. So, administrators play a key role in our university. Without you, we cannot be able to do effective work. So, it is very important make the best out of this retreat,” he said.

He there assured them of his commitment to support the administrators just as has been done for lecturers. 

“I have realized that some people are saying that the VC likes lecturers more than administrators, and therefore I have given lecturers office and have not given administrators office…You will also have your office so that the two union will all have offices on campus. As the VC, l am the head of academic and administration of the university, and any decision that we take, we ensure that everyone is catered for,” he noted.

The Registrar of TTU, Dr. Moses Maclean Abnory emphasized the relevance of the retreat, and charged participating administrators to recognize the opportunities it presents and ensure it impacts their work.

“This retreat presents us with unique opportunity not to merely reflect on our individual roles but realign our collective focus on the greater mission and vision of our dear university. We have gathered here not to only retreat from our desk and daily schedule but more importantly to engage, recharge and refocus ourselves for the task of transforming administrative leadership into a true engine of our institutional success. Our theme is both timed and purposeful as we strive for excellence in the delivery of technical and higher education, the role of a senior administrators becomes even more critical. We are the facilitators, coordinators and often the progress within this university. Therefore, this retreat seeks to deepen our strategic thinking, enhance our interpersonal competencies and inspire innovative approaches to the way we serve our community,” he said.

In a presentation on the topic; “From Governance to Operations: The Role of Senior Administrators (Registrars)”, Dr. Abnory said when TTU wins, then Ghana wins, therefore administrators have a critical role to play. He urged them to acquaint themselves with the tools and policies to do their work.

He took participants through the university Act, regulation, as well as the 83 statutes of the university among other regulations.

Dr. Maclean Abnory also encouraged administrators to prepare action plans and go to the office with a to-do list to guide the day’s workflow to be productive.

“You don’t wake up in the morning without knowing where the University is going. So we need to go back to revise the vision of the University and its strategic plan,” he noted.

He emphasized the need for administrators to develop their Basic Skills which includes conceptual and human skills to facilitate administrative work.

The Director of Finance, Dr. Gabriel Sam Ahinful, delivering a presentation dubbed; “Understanding Public Financial Management (Essential Knowledge for administrators)”, took participants through topics including treatment and consequences of Revolving Funds, advance payment, imprest, value books, acquisition and disposal of asserts, payroll deductions, penalties and sanctions.

He cautioned administrators not to attempt to spend from their revenues but their approved imprest to avoid being in breach of section 96 of the Public Financial Management Act. 

Dr. Ahinful charged the administrators to learn the policies and be assertive in giving critical prompt where necessary.

“It is your responsibility as administrators to give timely prompt to the finance directorate and for that matter the University for accurate budget preparation. There is the need for administrators to review and ensure budget readiness by 31st August to enable the University to strictly adhere to the Public financial management regulation”, he urged.

Dr. Adolf Awuku Bekoe from the Department of Psychology of the Methodist University Ghana, also presenting on Workplace Psychology and Safety, Creating Safe and Psychologically Healthy TTU, pointed to administrators’ responsibility in creating a psychologically safe work environment.

He cautioned administrators not to treat students shabbily since they are the reason administrators exist.

“To build resilient, inclusive, and thriving academic TTU, leaders must nurture emotional intelligence and create psychologically safe environments-these are not optional qualities but foundational strategies,” he said.

Dr. Bekoe highlighted that the workplace is not just a place of work but a place you get formed, hence called on administrators to work together towards the attainment of the ultimate goal of TTU.

After opportunity to ask questions on the various presentations, the Senior Career Registry Administrators worked in 10 separate groups, where they discussed and presented on various subjects including Memorandum writing, Efficient Records and File Management, Time and Task Management for Administrative Efficiency, Handling Our Students Effectively among others.

The Pro Vice Chancellor of TTU, Prof. Victor Kweku Bondzie Micah, who graced the closing of the day-one of the retreat said the importance of the retreat has prompted management to extend it to other staff but advised the Senior Administrators to make it count in their work.