In a grand celebration of academic excellence, Blessed Godsbrain Smart, a distinguished graduate of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), has been honored with the Overall Best Graduating Graduate Student (Project Work) award.
The prestigious recognition was presented during a glittering ceremony attended by dignitaries, including former President John Dramani Mahama, Speaker of Parliament Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, and Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu.
Blessed’s award-winning project, “Presidential Protection and Economic Security in Africa: The Intelligence Architecture Against Foreign Threats and Hybrid Warfare,” has been hailed as a significant contribution to Africa’s security discourse. His research explored the critical link between presidential protection and economic security, highlighting the need for robust intelligence frameworks to safeguard Africa’s sovereignty.
In his acceptance speech, Blessed emphasized the importance of education in driving national development, quoting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous words, “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically.” He dedicated his achievement to his family, friends, and the UPSA community, acknowledging their unwavering support throughout his academic journey.
The award-winning project has sparked interest among policymakers, academics, and security experts, who believe it has the potential to inform intelligence training frameworks and shape Africa’s security philosophy. Blessed’s research has also been praised for its originality, depth, and relevance to contemporary security challenges.
The Vice-Chancellor of UPSA, Professor John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor, commended Blessed on his outstanding achievement, noting that his research exemplifies the university’s commitment to producing high-quality, industry-relevant research.
Blessed’s achievement serves as an inspiration to his peers and a testament to the power of dedication, hard work, and passion for academic excellence. As he embarks on his future endeavors, he remains committed to contributing to public policy engagement, intelligence discourse, and economic security reforms in Africa.
The UPSA community congratulates Blessed on this remarkable achievement and looks forward to his future contributions to the nation’s development.
