Prez Mills cuts sod for public University in Brong Ahafo

The essence of being in Government is not for self-seeking interest, but to make life worth-living for the people, President John Evans Atta Mills, said on Tuesday in Sunyani.

The President, who was speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony for the commencement of work on the University of Energy and Natural Resources, said his Government was therefore committed to making strenuous effort to ensure that every Ghanaian lived a joyous and happy life.

President Mills said, the Brong-Ahafo region, had timely gotten what it deserved in view of its contributions to the socio-economic development of the country.

The construction of the University of Energy and Natural Resources to be undertaken in two phases will have its main campus and central administration in Sunyani and other satellite campuses at Dormaa and Nsoatre respectively.

Work on phase one would take place in the Sunyani campus where three out of the seven proposed schools under the University would be located.

They are the Schools for Natural Resources, Arts and Social Sciences and graduate School of Management and Sustainable Development.

The second phase of the project will comprise School of Engineering in Sunyani, School of Sciences at Nsoatre, as well as School of Agriculture and Technology and School of Geo-Sciences at Dormaa.

President Mills commended the Committee for the Establishment of Public Universities for the hard-work to get the vision into fruition and urged all stakeholders to ensure the successful completion of the project.

The President, who spoke in Fanti, expressed the hope that the people in the region, especially the youth and teenagers, would take advantage of the institution to acquire university education.

He expressed appreciation to the chiefs and people of the areas that released the lands for the establishment of the university and hoped that people in other areas would also contribute their quota for its expansion programmes.

President Mills mentioned that the chiefs and people of Acherensua and Techiman Traditional areas had also indicated their intention to release land and expressed the hope that they would honour their pledges.

Dr Christine Amoako-Nuama, Convener of the Implementation Committee for the Establishment of Public Universities and a Presidential Adviser, narrated the processes that led to the establishment of the two new public universities.

President Mills on Monday cut the sod for the commencement of work on the University of Health and Allied Sciences at Ho, with a campus at Hohoe.

Dr Amoako-Nuama gave assurance that the two new universities would collaborate with the five existing public universities for effective and efficient management best practices to ensure the attainment of high and quality academic standards and performance.

Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye Marfo, Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, acknowledged the immense provision of educational infrastructure in the region under the Mills’ Administration, and expressed the gratitude of chiefs and people of the region for the gesture.

He mentioned that so far 328 educational projects including dormitories, classroom blocks and Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) centres had been executed in the region within the last two years

Pimapim Yaw Kagbrese, Paramount chief of Yeji Traditional Area and Vice President of the Brong-Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, expressed regret at a recommendation made to the 1992 Constitutional Review Committee that sought to suggest that the chieftaincy institution had outlived its usefulness and should be scrapped.

He described the suggestion as very disheartening and misplaced since traditional authorities played a key role in the socio-economic development of the country.

The paramount chief, therefore, appealed for adequate budgetary allocation to empower chiefs and queen-mothers to resolve chieftaincy disputes to accelerate the development of their communities.

Source: GNA