Education Minister Proposes Bill to Restore Original Names of Akufo-Addo’s Renamed Universities

The government is set to introduce a bill aimed at restoring the original names of several public universities that were renamed under the previous administration.

The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, made this announcement during the inauguration of the new Governing Council of the Dr Abdulai Salifu Technical University in Accra. The 19-member council is chaired by Mandori Wura, Alhaji Seidu Iddi.

New Direction in Education Policy

Mr. Iddrisu indicated that a policy shift is underway, and he will soon present a bill to Parliament that seeks to reverse name changes made to certain public universities. He emphasized that the initiative is not intended to disregard the contributions of those previously honored or diminish their legacies.

“Those who truly deserve national honors will continue to be recognized,” the minister noted. For example, Dr Abdulai Salifu Technical University is expected to revert to its former name, Tamale Technical University. Other institutions likely to be affected include the C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS), Simon Diedong Dombo University for Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDS), and Ephraim Amu Technical University.

Focus on Stability and Relevance

Mr. Iddrisu called on the university’s governing council to address persistent conflicts that have plagued Tamale Technical University, which has reportedly seen frequent strikes and unrest. He urged the council to restore the institution’s reputation as one of the country’s most attractive polytechnics, particularly in engineering, technology, and vocational education.

Linking Education to National Development

The minister highlighted the critical role of technical universities in supporting President Mahama’s 24-hour economy vision. He noted that such institutions must produce a generation of entrepreneurs capable of driving private-sector growth, rather than relying solely on public sector employment.

To that end, he reiterated the ministry’s commitment to vocational education and disclosed plans to establish a dedicated Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) fund under the Mahama administration.

“The 24-hour economy must be private sector-led, and government will create the necessary environment and offer incentives for that to happen,” he said. He also noted that the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) will provide seed funding this year to support newly established universities.

Governing Council Members

The newly inaugurated council includes:

• Prof. Bashiru Imoro Ibn Saeed (Vice-Chancellor)

• Presidential nominees: Yahaya Al-Hassan Seini, Dr Fatimah Von Abubakari, Hajia Rahamat Abdul-Moomin

• Saaka Sayuti (Ghana Tertiary Education Commission)

• Dr Peter Boahin (Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training)

• Salma Abdulai (Association of Ghana Industries)

• Tsri Felix Kwame (Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools)

• Dr Abdul-Rahaman Haadi and Zakaria Mutawakilu Mohammed (Convocation)

• Dr Abdul Malik (Teaching Staff Association)

• Salifu Sulley Zakaria (Senior Staff Association)

• Siedu Safianu (Junior Staff Association)

• Asigri Solomon (Undergraduate Students Representative)

• Alhaji Abdul-Ganiwu Inusah (Graduate Students Representative)

• Dr Jamal Deen Kukurah (Alumni Representative)

• Cosmos Alhassan (Ghana Employers Association)

• Mariama Mahama (Association of Principals of Technical Institutes)

Call for Support and Industry Collaboration

Council Chairman Alhaji Iddi expressed gratitude to the President for the appointment and pledged to serve diligently. He also appealed to the government to offer incentives to industries that host students for internships, encouraging greater private sector collaboration in education and training.