Govt Moves to Reverse University Name Changes from Akufo-Addo’s Era
Government moves to restore historical identities of public universities by reversing name changes made during Akufo-Addo’s tenure
- New bill to rename public universities renamed under Akufo-Addo is in the works
- C.K. Tedam University and others may revert to original names
- Gov’t says move honors institutions’ history
The Mahama administration is set to introduce a new bill in Parliament aimed at renaming the C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS) along with several other public universities across Ghana.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu made this announcement during the swearing-in ceremony of CKT-UTAS’s Governing Council in Accra. Established in 2021 with the goal of providing students with practical, job-ready skills, CKT-UTAS has encountered infrastructure challenges that have hindered its academic progress. Moreover, the university’s name has sparked debate, with many stakeholders opposing it from the start.
Iddrisu explained that this decision is part of a larger effort to review and potentially rename multiple public universities that were either renamed or established under former President Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration.
“We have engaged in extensive consultations with the academic community, traditional leaders, alumni, students, and civil society. As a result, it is likely that CKT-UTAS will revert to its original name, in line with its initial vision,” Haruna said.
The education minister emphasized that this initiative is not meant to diminish the contributions of individuals after whom these institutions were named but to reflect the universities’ original values and historical significance.
Among the universities expected to be part of this review are the University of Mines and Technology and Abdulai Salifu University. The bill to formalize the renaming process will be presented to Parliament in the near future.
