The flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has promised to revert the names of public universities which were renamed by the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government to their original names if the NDC comes into office in 2025.
Mahama accused President Akufo-Addo and his party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), of merely renaming universities constructed by the NDC, emphasizing that the NPP had not established any new universities while in office.
“And so, we will restore the original names, and the names that they have given them will be given to a significant infrastructure in the Universities.
“We will add other people and name the infrastructure in the Universities after them. But if the university is the University for Development Studies, that is its core mandate. It will be called the University for Development Studies,” he said during his ‘Building the Ghana We Want’ tour in the Zuarungu, in the Upper East Region.
He added that Akufo-Addo has also been renaming the university after members of the NPP traditions.
To ascertain whether the former president’s claims are true, here is a list of public universities that have been renamed by President Akufo-Addo.
University of Professional Studies, Accra – UPSA
The University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), formerly known as the Institute of Professional Studies (IPS) was established in 1965. It was initially a private university but was taken over by the government in 1978.
It received a Presidential Charter in September 2008 under the government of John Agyekum Kufour to be a fully-fledged public university. The NDC government in 2012 enacted the University of Professional Studies Act, 2012 (ACT 850) to rename the institute as the University of Professional Studies, Accra.
In 2018, President Akufo-Addo renamed the university, the Nana Ampomah UPS after its founder Nana Opoku Ampomah
University of Development Studies, Navrongo – UDS Navrongo
The University of Development Studies (UDS) was established by the Jerry John Rawlings-led – NDC government with several campuses across the northern parts of Ghana.
President Akufo-Addo changed of name the Navrongo campus of the UDS in the Upper East Region to CK Tedam University for Technical and Applied Sciences
He announced the name change at the burial ceremony of the late, CK Tedam, a New Patriotic Party founding member.
The change according to him is to honour the former Chairman of the Council of Elders of the NPP and to also make the campus an autonomous university.
University of Development Studies, Wa
Nana Akufo-Addo again 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 is 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.
Ghanaweb
