UG Management Meets Education Minister, Courts Support for Research Funding, Staffing and Infrastructure Development
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana (UG), Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, led a delegation to meet with the Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, to congratulate him on his appointment and discuss key issues concerning the University. Key issues discussed included research funding, staffing, infrastructural development, and financial sustainability.
In congratulating the new Minister, who is an alumnus of the University, the Vice-Chancellor, expressed confidence in his ability to drive meaningful reforms in the education sector.
Commenting on the need for research funding, the Vice-Chancellor stressed the importance of prioritising government investments in research, given its role in national development. “Research is at the heart of innovation and progress and as a country, we must ensure sustained funding for it,” she said.
Regarding infrastructural development and stalled projects at the University, Prof. Amfo mentioned the stalled Africa Integras project, which was initiated to expand university infrastructure but has faced several challenges. She informed the Minister that efforts were underway to resolve issues with stakeholders to facilitate the project’s completion.
The Vice-Chancellor also highlighted the University’s financial challenges, particularly its legacy debt of 4.5 million cedis owed to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG). “The University is eager to explore ways to address this issue,” she stated.
Another major concern was the timely replacement of staff, particularly for those appointed by President Mahama to lead state institutions, to ensure that academic and administrative operations remain uninterrupted.
Additionally, she reiterated the University’s willingness to offer its expertise to support the Ministry in policy implementation and strategic projects. “The University of Ghana has a wealth of knowledge and expertise that can be leveraged to support government initiatives in education and beyond,” she noted.
The Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, in his response, welcomed the delegation and expressed his pleasure at receiving a team from his alma mater. He assured them of his commitment to supporting higher education reforms.
Addressing staffing concerns, the Minister acknowledged the importance of maintaining faculty strength and noted that there was an opportunity to advocate for the automatic replacement of staff, including those who had retired or passed on. “Staffing remains a critical issue and I will work towards ensuring that universities do not suffer from delays in replacing essential personnel,” he assured.
He also noted that the Ghana Infrastructure Fund would be reviewed to explore how it could support the University’s infrastructural development. Hon. Iddrisu further assured the delegation that efforts would be made to complete abandoned GETFund projects at various stages of completion.
Emphasising the government’s commitment to university autonomy, he stated: “There is no intention to interfere with the management of universities. Our role is to support institutions to thrive and implement meaningful reforms.” The Minister also encouraged the University Management to keep the Ministry informed of policy decisions and other important issues to ensure alignment.
To ensure that universities have a voice in education sector reforms, the Minister assured Management that a session on Higher Education Funding would be included in the proposed National Education Sector Reform Dialogue.
Hon. Iddrisu expressed appreciation for the visit and emphasised the government’s commitment to supporting universities in addressing their challenges.
The Pro Vice-Chancellor in charge of Academic and Student Affairs, Prof. Gordon Awandare, further underscored the need to operationalise the national research fund. He noted that a well-functioning research fund would help attract additional support from donor organisations. “If we make it competitive and transparent, it will strengthen confidence among funding agencies and increase research opportunities for faculty and students,” he explained.
He also called for a more competitive approach to scholarship disbursement. “Scholarships should be given directly to the universities to manage, rather than being solely administered by GETFund and the Scholarship Secretariat,” Prof. Awandare suggested. This, he argued, would allow universities to distribute financial aid more efficiently based on students’ academic and financial needs.
Prof. Awandare touched on the financial challenges posed by the current rates of academic facility user fees, describing it as inadequate for the effective running of the University. He indicated that the Education Sector Reform Forum should include a dedicated session for higher education to comprehensively address funding challenges.
The Provost of the College of Health Sciences (CHS), Prof. Alfred E. Yawson, raised concerns about the staffing of tutors who train students during their clinical years. He also highlighted the impact of stalled USAID projects, which affect over 100 researchers and trainees at the University. In response, the Minister requested that the financial impact of the stalled USAID projects be assessed and submitted for further evaluation and possible support.
The meeting ended with an agreement on continued collaboration between the Ministry of Education and the University of Ghana to address pressing issues and strengthen the higher education sector.
Present at the meeting were the Legal Counsel of UG’s Legal Affairs Directorate, Dr. Abdul Baasit Aziz Bamba, the Director of Public Affairs, UG, Dr. (Mrs.) Elizier Taiba Ameyaw-Buronyah and the Administrator at the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Mrs. Arhizah Blay-Abiti. The officials from the Ministry present included the Director of Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Ministry of Education, Ms. Mavis Asare Donkor and Co-ordinator for the Ghana Education Outcomes Project (GEOP), Hajia Nana Fatima High.
