The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to facilitating the establishment of a satellite campus of the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) at Kenyase No. 2 in the Ahafo Region, following a stakeholder meeting with regional authorities, traditional leaders and the management of the University.
The engagement formed part of ongoing efforts to operationalise the proposed campus, which has received approval, in principle, from the Ministry of Education, subject to the successful completion of the required regulatory and accreditation processes.
The GTEC delegation was led by the Director-General, Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, and included the Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Jerry Sarfo and the Head of Institutional Accreditation, Mr. Harry Opoku. Also, present at the meeting were the Ahafo Regional Minister, Hon. Charity Gardiner, the Vice-Chancellor of UMaT, Prof. Richard Amankrah,Nana Kwame Mentia Appiahene, Benkumhene, the District Chief Executive for Asutifi North, Hon. Daudu Hafiz, the Ahafo Regional Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and Chairman of the Kenyase SDC, Mr. Gabriel Adu Bonsu, and Mr. Patrick Boakye, Aide to the District Chief Executive.
During the meeting, the University indicated that preparations for the establishment of the campus were well advanced and that it was ready to commence operations once the necessary approvals had been secured. Management explained that, as an initial step, the campus intends to begin with certificate programmes already being offered and accredited at the University’s main campus. To operationalise these programmes at Kenyase, however, the University will require campus accreditation from GTEC, financial clearance to recruit the requisite academic and administrative staff, and the completion of other regulatory requirements.
Addressing the meeting, the Director-General of GTEC assured members that the Commission would work expeditiously to facilitate the required accreditation processes while ensuring full compliance with Ghana’s quality assurance standards. He further encouraged the University and its partners to continue preparing the facilities to ensure that the campus would be ready for inspection and accreditation. Stakeholders indicated that the proposed site already has substantial infrastructure in place, requiring only minor modifications and refurbishment to meet the standards for tertiary education delivery.
The meeting also discussed arrangements for the formal transfer of the land and facilities to UMaT by the traditional authorities. It was agreed that an official ceremony would be organised for the chiefs to formally hand over the property to the University, with a mutually convenient date to be determined.
On behalf of the traditional authorities and the people of the area, the stakeholders expressed profound appreciation to the Director-General and GTEC for his support and commitment to the project. They pledged to work diligently to complete all outstanding improvements to the facilities to ensure the campus is ready for accreditation and subsequent commencement of academic activities.
The proposed UMaT Kenyase campus is expected to expand access to specialised tertiary education, strengthen human capital development in the Ahafo Region, and contribute significantly to the socio-economic development of the area. GTEC remains committed to working closely with UMaT and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that the campus is established in accordance with the Commission’s quality assurance and accreditation requirements.