The Majority Leader in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, has announced that the government has decided to reverse all name changes made to public universities during the Akufo-Addo administration.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament, the Bawku Central MP revealed that Cabinet has issued a directive to restore the original names of all public universities that were renamed after individuals under the previous government.
“Mr Speaker, there has been a Cabinet directive to change the names of all the universities that were renamed after individuals back to the original names they were given,” Mr. Ayariga stated.
He added that a bill will soon be laid before Parliament to formally give effect to the directive.
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During the Akufo-Addo administration, several universities and technical institutions were renamed in honour of distinguished national figures. Among them were:
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The University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) in Tarkwa, renamed George Grant University of Mines and Technology.
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The Wa Campus of the University for Development Studies (UDS), renamed Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies.
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The Navrongo Campus of UDS, renamed C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences.
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The Ho Technical University, renamed Ephraim Amu Technical University.
The renaming exercise drew criticism from the then-opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), which argued that the decision was politically motivated and disregarded institutional heritage.
If approved by Parliament, the reversal will see these institutions revert to their original names, restoring what the current government describes as their “historical and academic identities.”
Story By: Afia Ohenewaa Akyerem