Parliament has approved three separate bills to rename selected public universities across the country, despite strong resistance from Minority Members of Parliament.
The decision, taken on Friday after extensive debate, seeks to rebrand the institutions to better reflect their expanded mandates and regional identities.
Under the approved bills, C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS) will now be known as the University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Navrongo. The change removes the personal attribution in favour of a location-based identity.
Similarly, the S.D. Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies has been renamed the University of Business and Integrated Development Studies, Wa, aligning the institution more closely with its host municipality.
The third bill changes the name of Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development to the University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development, Kumasi.
According to supporters of the bills, the renaming exercise is intended to promote institutional neutrality, enhance global recognition, and ensure consistency within Ghana’s public university system.
However, the Minority strongly opposed the move, arguing that the changes disregard the historical contributions of the individuals after whom the institutions were originally named. Minority MPs also raised concerns about the financial implications of rebranding, including costs related to signage, documentation, and administrative adjustments.
Despite the objections, the Majority side maintained that the benefits of the reforms outweigh the concerns raised and proceeded to secure parliamentary approval.
With the passage of the bills, the changes are expected to take effect after presidential assent, paving the way for administrative implementation by the affected universities.
