The government has listed a number of public tertiary institutions whose names will be reverted to their original names after they were renamed during the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government.
The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, in a video clip from a recent public engagement, announced the move by the government.
He explained that the reversal of the names of the institutions does not mean that the people they were renamed after are undeserving.
“Some names of some public universities were changed and renamed during the tenure of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. There is a policy shift. There will be changes in the names of the universities that were renamed.
“It is not to fail to recognise the contribution of any individual or their standing, or undermine the legacy of any statesman, or diminish their contributions to our national effort,” he explained.
Haruna Iddrisu added that he will soon be sending a bill to Parliament to change the names of the institutions before proceeding to name them.
“I will introduce a bill in Parliament that will seek to rename some of the public universities in Ghana, including the Dr Abdullah Salifu Technical University back to Tamale Technical University. Simon Dombo University will be renamed, CK Tadem University of Technology and Applied Sciences will be renamed, and Dr Ephraim Amu Technical University will be renamed back to Ho University,” he said.
He added; “I’m still engaging with traditional authorities, engaging with members in academia and alumnae associations, students and civil society to make that determination. But those who deserve national honours will still keep their national honour.”
Below are some of the tertiary institutions whose names were changed by the Akufo-Addo government:
University of Development Studies, Wa
Nana Akufo-Addo changed the name of the UDS campus in Wa in the Upper West Region to Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies.
The university’s new name is after Simon Diedong Dombo, a Ghanaian politician, teacher and king who belonged to the United Party (UP) tradition, of which the New Patriotic Party has its roots.
Simon Dombo was a Member of Parliament during the First Republic of Ghana.
The decision, according to the government, will transform the existing campus of the University of Development Studies (UDS) campus in Wa into a fully-fledged university.
Ho Technical University
The Ho Technical University (HTU), which was formerly known as Ho Polytechnic, was also renamed by Akufo-Addo as the Ephraim Amu Technical University.
President Akufo-Addo announced the name change during the grand durbar of the 50th-anniversary celebration of the university.
University of Energy and Natural Resources – UENR
The University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), Sunyani in the Bono Region, was renamed after the late Prime Minister of the Second Republic, Professor Kofi Abrefa Busia, by Akufo-Addo.
According to the president, Dr K A Busia is an illustrious son of the region, hence the decision to honour him by naming the university after him.
UENR was established by an Act of the Parliament of Ghana, Act 830, 2011, on December 31, 2011, by the government of the late Prof John Evans Atta Mills.
University of Education, Winneba, Kumasi Campus – UEW Kumasi
President Akufo-Addo also renamed the Kumasi campus of the University of Education, Winneba, which was established by the government of the late former President Jerry John Rawlings, as the Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills and Entrepreneurial Development.
He announced that the Kumasi campus of the University of Education will become an autonomous institution under the name University of Skills and Entrepreneurial Development.
He noted that the decision was far advanced in making the school an autonomous institution.
University of Mines and Technology – UMAT
President Akufo-Addo officially renamed the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) to the George Grant University of Mines and Technology, after the first President of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC).
The Tarkwa-based tertiary institution was renamed on Friday, January 12, 2018, at a special congregation held at the school to install former President John Kufuor as its Chancellor.
UMaT, which was formerly known as the KNUST School of Mines (KNUSTSM), was renamed after Parliament passed the University of Mines and Technology into an Act of Parliament under the government of former President John Agyekum Kufuor.
BAI/AE
