By Tope Musowo
The postgraduate students of the University of Ibadan, Centre for Sustainable Development (CESDEV) have stormed the nation of Ghana on an international field trip as part of the requirements for graduation in Development Practice Programme (DPP).
CESDEV students numbering 49 who arrived Accra Ghana Airport yesterday around 12:50pm Ghana time made way straight to Kumasi where they passed the night to begin their activities for the two weeks field trip the following day.
According to the Coordinator of the Development Practice Programme (DPP), Dr Olawale Olayide, the purpose of the visit is summarised in 5Rs; Research, Refresh, Re-brand, Relate and to Retreat,this is actually coming barely two weeks after the students finished their first semester exam.
As part of the activities slated for the field trip, the students in the company of their coordinator on Tuesday paid a courtesy visit to the office of the Vice Chancellor of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KNUST, where they learnt about the workings of the Institution and Ghana as a nation.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Kwasi Obiri-Danso who was represented by the Pro-Vice Chancellor, Rev. Prof. Charles Ansah, while fielding questions from the students from different areas of specialisation of the DPP, (Social Sustainability, Economic Sustainability, Environmental Sustainability and the MDP) took time to answer all the students' question.
Prof. Ansah, however, in his address reiterated the importance of development-related courses with respect to the peculiarity of African developmental challenges, while he expressed the willingness of KNUST to partner U.I. for exchange programme.
After the visit to the V.C's office, the U.I students continued their journey to a village in Jamasi district where they visited a company,called "The Yonso Project" where bicycles are being made of bamboo trees.
The C.E.O of the bicycle making company, Mr. Kwabena Danso took the students round the factory, explaining how the new innovative technology has evolved over the time, how its already gaining global recognition and the feat achieved so far.
A company with the mission to produce high quality and affordable bamboo products which have both economic and social benefits to customers around the world and with a vision to make bamboo a number one global resource and to become world's leader in the bamboo manufacturing industry.
Addressing the issue of skepticism about the durability of the bamboo made bicycle, the CEO explained that in the year 2014, two German tourists who came to the company for test ride, rode from Germany to China, and another German named Martins this year who rode across West Africa on the bicycle having toured 75% of the entire world, noting that bamboo tree is the strongest wood in the world.
Meanwhile, an undergraduate student from a University in the Netherlands currently studying International Development, Anna Van Smeden who is doing her two months internship at the company, explained how she is researching on how the work is affecting the livelihood of the people in the community.
Musowo Temitope
Development Communication Expert
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