Vice-Chancellor Embarks on Maiden Visit to the Dawenya Greenhouse Training Centre

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo together with the Provost of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences (CBAS), Prof. Boateng Onwona-Agyeman and some unit heads of the College have visited the Dawhenya Greenhouse Training Centre in the Accra-Tema plains of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.

This was to afford the Vice-Chancellor a firsthand opportunity to assess the facility as a multi-disciplinary agro-based training centre.

The Dawhenya Greenhouse Training Centre, one of three established by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and managed by the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) was handed over to the University of Ghana (UG) through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between UG and MOFA in 2021.

The aim of this collaboration, among others, was for UG to take over the Greenhouse Training Centre (owned by MOFA) to run short courses at various levels to promote Greenhouse Technology in Ghana. The collaboration with MOFA will ensure Greenhouse Capacity Building (GHCB) at the Certificate, Diploma, Undergraduate and Graduate levels to promote and generate interest in the production of vegetables in Greenhouses and for research purposes.

The Provost of CBAS, announced that the College of Basic and Applied Sciences with its already developed courses in Greenhouse Technology at both undergraduate and certificate levels, as well as Research and Innovation in GHCB at the Departments of Crop Science, School of Agriculture and Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST) and other units at the College, will deliver courses under this arrangement.

The Director of IAST, Prof. George Oduro Nkansah, took the Vice-Chancellor round the facility which has furnished 15-double rooms dormitory (with air-conditioners), and a large resting room, a stand-by generator, facility for irrigation, three (3) lecture rooms, a library, six (6) greenhouses for practical training and about two (2) offices and a farmhouse.

After the tour of the facility, the Vice-Chancellor and the team identified a few challenges and made recommendations for them to be rectified urgently in order to make the Centre fully operational within the shortest possible time. 

The Provost of CBAS assured her of a speedy resolution to the challenges. 

Members of the visiting team comprised Prof. Irene Susan Egyir, Dean, School of Agriculture; Prof. David Dodoo-Arhin (In-coming Director, IAST); Dr. Edward Benjamin Sabi, Head, Dept. of Agricultural Engineering; Dr. Naalamle Amissah, Head, Department of Crop Science; Dr. Ama Asantewah Ahene-Codjoe, Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness; Mr. Worlanyo Newton Torvinyo, Ag. College Secretary, CBAS; Mr. Benjamin Owusu Addo, College Finance Officer (CBAS); Mr. Daniel Hormeku, Senior Assistant Registrar, CBAS; Mrs. Arhizah Blay-Abiti, Senior Assistant Registrar, Vice Chancellor’s Office; Mr. John Adena Bawa, College Secretariat (CBAS) and personnel from PDMSD.