UDS campuses to be autonomous
The government will soon convert the three campuses of the University for Development Studies (UDS) into autonomous universities, President John Dramani Mahama has said.
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The process would begin with the taking of inventory of facilities on the three campuses to facilitate the launch of a full-scale process for the conversion.
The three campuses are in Tamale, Wa and Navrongo.
Mr Mahama said this when a delegation of the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs called on him at the Flagstaff House yesterday.
The chiefs, who were accompanied by the Regional Minister, Alhaji Amidu Sulemani and Members of Parliament from the region, were at the seat of government to request a number of projects for the region.
Top on their agenda was the conversion of the Wa Campus of UDS into an autonomous university. Also mentioned was the completion of work on offices of the regional house of chiefs and some of the roads in the region.
During the 2012 electioneering campaign, Mr Mahama promised to convert the three campuses into autonomous universities if he won the elections.
President Mahama appreciated the support the chiefs and people of the region had given him and his government and gave the assurance that the government would not turn its back on the region.
Emphasising how his government took key interest in the development of education, the President said that explained why it had decided to ensure that every region had a university.
He stated that the legislation on the establishment of the Eastern Regional University was ready to be put before parliament for approval.
The central campus of the university would be in Somanya with satellite campuses in other parts of the region.
Other projects
President Mahama gave the assurance that budgetary allocations would be made for the completion of offices of the regional houses of chiefs, including that of Wa.
He said work on many of the office buildings of the regional houses of chiefs started long ago but budgetary constraints stalled their completion.
He also said the government was conscious of fact that some of the roads in the region needed attention so efforts would be made to fix them.
He, however, cited the numerous projects that the government had embarked on in the roads, electricity, water, health and educational sectors, among others, in the region and said it demonstrated the government's commitment to deliver on its promises to the people.
Wa Airport
President Mahama said he had asked the Ghana Airport Company to start the construction of a new terminal building at the Wa Airport to enable it start operating domestic commercial flights.
He also said the common enemy of the people was poverty, which they must fight together.
Head of delegation
The acting President of the Regional House of Chiefs, Kuoro Richard Babini Kanton VI, who led the delegation, said the peace,instability and harmony prevailing in the region provided good grounds for accelerated development.
He also said the NDC government's programme to open universities in all the regions in the county was a laudable vision and expressed the hope that the Wa one would be carried out.
He commended the president for the many projects the region had enjoyed under his presidency and expressed the hope that the uncompleted ones would be completed.
