The proposed site for the University of Energy taken over by weeds
IT IS now evident that the Mills-Mahama administration will not construct new facilities to begin the proposed Brong Ahafo University contrary to what it made Ghanaians initially believe.
Mahama Ayariga, Deputy Minister of Education, on Tuesday told Joy Fm that the much talked about University of Energy and Natural Resources to be established in Sunyani will take off from the existing Sunyani-Campus of the KNUST (Faculty of Forestry Resources Technology) instead of constructing a new campus.
Government’s position has since attracted the wrath of the people in the region. Residents say turning the Forestry school into the proposed energy university contravened what President Mills promised them during the 2008 elections and which is clearly stated in the NDC 2008 manifesto.
During the 2008 election campaign, the NDC promised to establish two public universities in the Brong Ahafo and Volta regions to provide more access to tertiary education in the country.
According to the people in Brong Ahafo, the NDC government has deceived them following the groundbreaking ceremony performed by the president earlier this year supposedly to commence construction of the university.
A cross-section of the residents who spoke to DAILY GUIDE said they want to see the two universities running instead of collapsing one to make way for the other.
On February 8 this year, President Mills officially cut the sod to commence construction of the proposed University of Energy and Natural Resources at a site near Fiapre in the Sunyani municipality.
In a speech, President Mills described the event as a fulfillment of a major campaign promise his administration made to the people of Brong Ahafo Region during the 2008 general elections and said the university will take off in September.
However, when DAILY GUIDE visited the site not a single block had been laid and weeds had overtaken the parcel of land earmarked for the project. Part of the land has been turned into a farm land.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee tasked to oversee the construction of the university, Dr Opuni Frimpong recently told the paper that the government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the authorities of KNUST to release their facility to begin the Energy and Natural Resources University.
According to him, the new university will make use of existing facilities at the Faculty of Forestry Resources Technology, where it will open admissions for its first batch of students in September.
Dr Opuni, who has been very instrumental in the establishment of the university, said Cabinet has also approved the Bill establishing the university which it is expected to be passed by Parliament very soon.
He disclosed that that the Chinese government as well as the GETFund had devoted some money to start with infrastructure development at the proposed site where the official sod-cutting ceremony was performed.
What is supposed to be the first full-fledged public university in the region would have seven schools upon completion and is to be constructed in two phases. The first phase will be sited in Sunyani with three schools namely, School of Natural Resources, School of Arts and Social Sciences and the Graduate School of Management and Sustainable Development.
The second phase that will be developed later will consist of the School of Engineering and School of Sciences to be situated on the Nsoatre and Sunyani campuses, while the School of Agriculture and Technology and School of Geo Sciences will be established at Dormaa Ahenkro.
From Fred Tettey Alarti-Amoako, Sunyani