The government of President John Dramani Mahama 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 the country.
The announcement was made by Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, during the swearing-in ceremony of the Governing Council of CKT-UTAS in Accra.
Established in 2021, CKT-UTAS was created to equip students with practical and technical skills tailored to meet global workforce demands. However, the institution has faced infrastructure and developmental challenges that have hindered its academic growth. Its name has also sparked debate, with some stakeholders having opposed it from the outset.
According to Haruna Iddrisu, the proposed renaming is part of a broader initiative to reassess and possibly restore the original identities of public universities that were renamed or established during the tenure of former President Nana Akufo-Addo.
“We have had extensive consultations with the academic community, traditional rulers, alumni associations, students, and civil society,” he said. “As a result, the name C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences is likely to change—possibly reverting to the institution’s original vision.”
He emphasized that the renaming initiative is not intended to discredit the contributions of individuals whose names are currently associated with these institutions.
“This is not to say those individuals do not deserve recognition, but the renaming will aim to reflect the foundational ethos and historical identities of the institutions,” Haruna clarified.
Among the universities under review are the University of Mines and Technology and the Abdulai Salifu University, both of which may also undergo renaming as part of the new policy.
The government is expected to table the bill in Parliament in the coming weeks to formalize the renaming process.
