GUST conferred an Honorary Doctorate to the Liberia’s Minister of Public Works, Madam Ruth Coker-Collins
In attendance of Hon. Edwin Melvin Snowe Jr., Chairman on the Senate Committee on Public Works, Infrastructure and Development as well as Senior Executives of the Ministry of Public Works, the Global University of Science and Technology (GUST) in Friday, June 17, 2022, conferred an Honorary Doctor of Science in Civil Engineering Degree to the Liberia’s Minister of Public Works, Madam Ruth Coker-Collins, by the University’s President, Prof. Dr. Mohammed Gamal Kafafy in recognition of her substantive contributions and outstanding achievements in Republic of Liberia and outside of the country, coupled with her quest to prioritize human capital development.
Prof. Kafafy described the Public Works Minister as leader, innovative and hard working, who deserves to be awarded. “She is active in her work and the institution has been following her works,” he pointed out.
The elated Minister extended thanks and appreciation to GUST for the honor done to her and saw it as a testimony of what she has been doing over time. “This day is a great day not because I have been awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science in Civil Engineering Degree, and to brag about adding title of doctor to my name but because my little work of infrastructure development to my country has been recognized,” she explained.
The conferring of Honorary Doctorate Degree on the Works Minister was done recently at the closing of the professional Global Project & Contract Management Program in the Conference Room at the the Ministry of Public Works for 27 participants drawn from five institutions including the Ministry of Public Works, the Association of Liberian Construction Contractors, Engineering Society of Liberia, Society of Women Engineers of Liberia as well as the Liberia Institute of Architects.
At the end of the program all 27 participants received the professional training certificate signed by the President of Global University of Science and Technology (GUST) and the Liberia’s Minister of Public Works. Furthermore, the 20 participants were passed the certification exam successfully and awarded the Certified Global Project Manager (GPM) by the Global Quality Council (GQCO).
The Hon. Edwin Melvin Snowe Jr., revealed that the Senate Committee’s fullest support towards capacity building and the implementation of flagship road projects across the country. “During the confirmation hearing, you assured us that when confirmed, you will endeavor to enhance training of your people and other sectors and today is a clear manifestation of that commitment,” he noted.
Minister Madam Ruth Coker-Collins lauded the leadership of GUST and the Global Quality Council headed by Prof. Kafafy for the training and challenged the beneficiaries of the program to make maximum use of the knowledge acquired from the program and emphasized the overarching need for capacity building for public service practitioners aimed at enhancing productivity. “When Projects and Contracts are properly managed, we will obtain value for money most especially in the Country of ours where budgetary space is limited and our needs for infrastructure development is unlimited,” she noted. Therefore, She is hoping that all of the trainees will utilize the program body of knowledge to enhance the skills and level of professionalism when discharging their duties and responsibilities in them respective area of works. Also she will endeavor to ensure capacity-building for the employees for continuous productivity improvement in government.
At end of the ceremony, the Liberia’s Ministry of Public Works represented by its Minister and Global University of Science and Technology (GUST) represented by its President signed special Memorandum of Agreement to formalize the bonds of mutual recognition and partnership which have grown to work together in a transparent manner to maximize engagement and results for developing professional competencies of staff at the Ministry and its partner organizations.
