• 30 Jun, 2025
• Bithiah Opare
• No comment

Government to Refrain from Meddling in Public Universities – Vice-President

The administration has affirmed its commitment to refraining from meddling in the administration and activities of public universities, aiming to foster greater academic independence across campuses. This policy, officials say, will ensure the seamless operation of university councils and leadership teams.

Vice-President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang shared this pledge during the grand finale of the 58th special congregation at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) last Saturday. She underscored the government’s high regard for scholarly freedom, promising to empower university governance bodies to fulfill their legal mandates free from political overreach. “The Ministry of Education, alongside the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission, will collaborate with institutions to uphold regulations, policies, and standards, ensuring councils adhere to governing statutes,” she explained.

The event drew a distinguished audience, including KNUST Chancellor Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, King Mswati III of Eswatini and his spouse Nontsetselelo Magongo, and Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs Minister Ahmed Ibrahim. Prof. Opoku-Agyemang clarified that ministerial involvement would focus on compliance, not disruption, maintaining rigorous expectations for university performance.

This assurance follows past controversies over the Public Universities Bill, proposed in 2019 and 2024 by the previous regime, which sparked protests from universities due to its perceived attempt to grant the government majority control over council appointments and university management structures—a move widely seen as a bid for dominance.

The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 8,161 students, comprising 3,196 undergraduates and 4,965 postgraduates, with 118 earning Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees, including 24 women. The Vice-President lauded KNUST’s dedication to research, noting the rising number of Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and PhD recipients. She encouraged institutions to regularly share research insights with policymakers and industry leaders to drive national progress. “Graduates shape critical sectors through their studies; I urge faculty and students to keep producing meaningful research and disseminating it to support development,” she urged.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang highlighted the government’s plan to establish the National Research Fund Act’s board with an initial GH¢50 million to sustain research funding. Meanwhile, KNUST Vice-Chancellor Prof. Rita Akosua Dickson announced the School of Medical Sciences’ 50th anniversary celebration on October 3, 2025, themed “Reflecting on History, Envisioning Tomorrow.” Plans include unveiling a four-storey medical training center at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, with a call for alumni support. She also revealed a $8.2 million research grant, including $771,000 for Prof. Stephen Fred Sarfo’s hypertension project in Africa and $578,000 for Prof. George M. Bob-Milliar’s urban water study.