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The Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) on Friday conferred an honorary Doctor of Law degree on Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan and Mr Ben K. Mensah. Dr Afari-Gyan, Chairman of Electoral Commission, Ghana was honored for his Principled Leadership, Visionary Executive, Dedicated Pan Africanist and a Public Servant for close to tenyears in the nation�s electoral process. Mr Ben K. Mensah, Former President of GIMPA Court of Governors, was also honored for being an Esteemed Public Servant, Trailblazer, Dedicated Community Servant, Beloved Friend of GIMPA and for supporting GIMPA. In his address at GIMPA�s 2ND special Congregation in Accra, Professor Yaw Agyemang Badu, Rector of GIMPA, said June, 2011, the institute turned 50 years and focusing on the fact that it started out as a public service institution, it was fitting to celebrate the two personalities known for their distinguished public service in Ghana. �Ghana, and Africa in general, can achieve sustained socioeconomic development if only we build the capacity of the public service for enhanced efficiency. Sustained development without an efficient and effective public sector is impossible� he added. Prof Badu said public services are essential for economic growth and nation building adding, the quality of public services provided by ministries, departments, and agencies is one of the defining features of economic growth and modernization. He explained that quality public services also ensure effective communication, basic education, health care, national security and public safety. Prof Badu said national development agenda required capable human resources to translate optimism to prosperity or to turn a hopeless situation into a promising one. He said the knowledge of personnel in the Public Service are at the heart of the performance of States because it is through them and by them that services are planned, delivered and needed reforms carried out. Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, Chairman of Electoral Commission of Ghana in his acceptance speech was happy for the honour done him by the institute and said his position was very critical in ensuring free and fair elections and commended GIMPA for recognising his efforts in the public sector. He used the occasion to inform the public about the impending biometric registration slated for January 2012 and urged every Ghanaian citizen who is 18 years and above to register and be able to vote in the 2012 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections. Mr Ben k. Mensah, Former GIMPA Court of Governors, in his acceptance speech, thanked the Institute for his contributions in the public service. Reverend Professor Samuel k. Adjepong, Principal of the Methodist University College, Ghana, commended GIMPA for contributing to world class of excellence for training, consultancy and research in leadership, management and administration. Rev. Adgepong expressed concern about the failure of some universities to meet to accreditation requirements which in the long run would affect the future of their students. He advocated the need for higher education policy for both the private and public Universities that would ensure guidance to students and produced well trained and professional graduates to compete in the global market. ******** Cardinal Turkson, Seven Others Receive Honorary Doctorate Degrees His Eminence Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace at the Vatican, Rome, and seven other personalities were on Saturday awarded Honorary Doctorate Degrees for their meritorious services to humanity, educational development and philanthropic deeds. This was at a special congregation organized by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to climax the commemoration of its 60 years anniversary.