The Kwahumanhene, Daasebre Akuamoah Agyapong II in the Afram Plains District of the Eastern Region has allocated a One-Square-Mile land, equivalent to six hundred and forty (640) acres of land at Donkorkrom situated at Bokuruwaa, to the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD) for the construction of its satellite campus there.
This fulfills the UESD Act, 2015 (Act, 898) which states that: The University shall be established in Somanya with campuses in Donkorkrom and any other place as the Council may determine.
On Wednesday, May 3, 2023, the Eastern Regional Minister, Hon. Seth Kwame Acheampong led a 15-member delegation from the University, headed by its Council Chairman, Prof. J.N. Ayertey to the site which is about three hundred and seventy-one Kilometres (371 KM) from the UESD Somanya campus.The land, in the Kwahu North District was allocated by the chief of Donkorkrom, Nana Akuamoah Boateng Tano II on behalf of the Kwahumanhene,
The team first made a stopover at the Afram Plains North District Assembly at Atakora, where the District Chief Executive, Hon Isaac Nana Koree and his team, together with his counterpart in the Afram Plains South District Assembly, Hon. Evans Nana Kyei Afrane led them to the Donkorkrom chief’s palace for a meeting with him and his elders.
At the chief’s palace, the Regional Minister, Hon. Acheampong introduced members of the UESD delegation to the chief and his elders and stated the purpose of the visit. He explained the visit was to fulfill the government’s commitment to ensure that the Donkorkrom campus of UESD comes into existence to help develop the place.
In response, Nana Tano II expressed delight at the visit and commended the government for choosing Afram Plains for the construction of the UESD satellite campus. He stated that Afram Plains is blessed with vast resources and amenities including healthcare, electricity, water, and agriculture, but its major challenge is with progress in education. Nana Tano II stated that there are a number of schools dotted around the Afram Plains enclave but its major challenge is the lack of infrastructure and ability to maintain the teachers posted there because of the lack of accommodation for them. He, therefore, called on the government to go to their aid by providing accommodation for teachers posted there.
Nana Tano II was also hopeful that the construction of the Donkorkrom campus of UESD will open up the area. He appealed to the government to convert the Agriculture Senior High Technical School in the town into a Training College so that the trained teachers will stay and help develop the place. He was also confident, that it will go a long way to feed the UESD Donkorkrom campus.
After the meeting, Nana Tano II and his elders led the Regional Minister, the DCEs for Afram Plains North and South and the UESD delegation to the allocated land where the necessary rites were performed before the land was handed over to the University.
In an interview, the Regional Minister, Hon Acheampong expressed gratitude to the chiefs and people of Kwahu for their kind gesture and stated that, it shows their commitment towards the promotion of tertiary education in Ghana.
He also acknowledged the contributions of the DCE for Kwahu North and South, Hon. Isaac Nana Koree and Hon. Evans Kyei Afrane and other stakeholders involved in securing the land. He commended the Management of the UESD for following through the process to this stage.
The Chairman of UESD Council, Prof. J. N. Ayertey expressed delight at the allocation of the land to the University. He said, UESD just like any other tertiary institution is a city on its own that houses basic schools, secondary schools, fire service stations, police stations, to mention but a few. He said, the establishment of a satellite campus is an establishment of a city with a focus on training people to excel in the university’s area of mandate.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Eric Nyarko-Sampson said, the acquisition of a satellite campus is enshrined in the ACT establishing the University, UESD Act, 2015 (Act, 898). He further stated that it is a good location with rich and fertile soil which will support UESD plans.
The other members of the UESD delegation to Donkorkrom were: Ag. Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Edward Wiafe Debrah; Registrar, Mrs. Mary Abena Agyepong; Director of Finance, Mr. Baffour Awuah Kwabi; Director of Audit, Dr. Emmanuel Opoku-are; Director of Physical Development and Estate Management (DPDEM), Surv. Dr. Isaac Abbam and his team members-Senior Ing.John Awortwe, Snr. Arc. Kwame Poku and Sur. Edmond Abeiku Nyanku. Other members of the delegation were the Heads of Human Resource, Mrs Rose Nandaara Faanu: Community Engagement and Project Innovations Unit (CEPIU), Mr. Daniel Ofori Mintah and University Relations Unit, Ms. Barbara M. Yakubu.