KNUST Denies ‘Ugly’ Otumfuo Statue

The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has debunked claims that the ‘ugly’ statue built in honour of Otumfuo Osei II at the Kejetia Lorry station was a project undertaken by the University’s Department of Painting and Sculpture.

The rebuttal from the University follows media reports that KNUST was responsible for the design.

In a statement issued by the university’s Public Relations Office, two issues in relation to the construction of the statue were addressed.

“Our attention has been drawn to publications on various media platforms to the effect that the statue of our revered Chancellor and Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei II, erected at the Kejetia Lorry Terminal, was produced by the Department of Painting and Sculpture.

“The contract to produce Otumfuo Osei Tutu’s statue was never awarded to the Department of Painting and Sculpture,” they stated.

According to the statement, the project was a private contract given to two lecturers in the university.

“Hence, KNUST as an institution has nothing to do with the production of the statue,” they added.

The statement added that the university is, however, willing to assist the public in the production of an excellent monument.