President Akufo-Addo is advocating that the University for Development Studies (UDS) be named after the late former President Jerry John Rawlings.

Addressing congregants of UDS at a graduation ceremony in Tamale, in the Northern Region, he said that Mr. Rawlings deserves to be praised for his immense role in the establishment of the school. 

President Akufo-Addo revealed that the former President had earlier declined the offer for the school to be named after him.

"He respectfully declined the honour and offer because of his principle not to have national monuments and facilities named after him."

"Notwithstanding these sentiments and with all due respect to him, it is my strong belief that such an honour should be accorded him," he said.

The president praised the management of UDS for their effort in transforming the University from a last resort to one of the premier Universities in Ghana.

Former President Rawlings, who was the head of state and later President, played a crucial role in the establishment of the school when he used his prize money from World Food Prize of $50,000 as seed money for its founding.

There have been suggestions that the University for Development Studies (UDS) go beyond conferring a doctorate degree on Mr. Rawlings and name the institution after him.

This was after UDS in October 2013 conferred the honour on the former Ghanaian leader for contribution towards the establishment and growth of the university.

In addition to the honorary doctorate degree, a bronze bust of Mr Rawlings was erected on one of the campuses of the university to immortalise his role in the establishment of the institution.

JJ Rawlings passed away on Thursday, November 12 at 10 am.

The 73-year-old is said to have died after he contracted Covid-19 and was rushed to the intensive care unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.

The founder of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) was last seen in public on October 19, during the final funeral rites leading to the burial of his mother, Victoria Agbotui.