President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has commissioned the first phase of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD) at Somanya in the Eastern Region.
The first phase of the project cost 45,575,000 million Euros and it was funded through the Italian Export Credit Agency and German Bank.
It has facilities such as lecture halls, facility offices, multi-purpose hall, laboratory, Vice Chancellor and Pro Vice Chancellor’s residence as well as other key officers.
President Akufo-Addo said access to education was the fastest and the most effective way to change the fortunes of the country and create opportunity for all.
He said his government was committed to providing quality education and skills training for the people.
Nana Akufo-Addo explained that this was the first University with the mandate to provide higher education, research and disseminate knowledge on matters of sustainable development, giving protection to the environment and focus on developing agro business.
He urged the leadership of the university to provide strategic leadership on environmental and sustainable issues and grow quickly to become a centre of excellence in teaching and research.
He said Government through the Ministry of Finance had granted financial clearance to the University to recruit 300 staff for the initial phase to enable it take off.
He assured that government will continue to do all it can to ensure that the University will be able to discharge its duties to become the centre of excellence.
The Minister for Education, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, urged the Council of the University to blend online learning with the face to face lectures during this corona virus pandemic period.
He commended the President for his commitment to education and especially the implementation of the Free Senior High School and described the NPP government as one of the best governments in the history of the country when it came to education.
The Chairman of the University Council, Professor Jonathan Ayertey, applauded the efforts of the government in its quest to improve access to education at all levels.
GNA
