Krobo Residents Fight Gov’t Over Relocation Of University
An ‘inferno’ seems to be heating up as some members of the Krobo land yesterday, went wild in a protest over what they called “a diabolical scheme” by the current government to relocate the main campus of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD).
According to them, the main campus which is supposed to be situated at Somanya is being moved to Bunso in the East Akyem municipality of the Eastern Region.
The protest which took place early Thursday morning saw hundreds of residents clad in red head and wrists bands and holding Placards with inscriptions like “Krobo deserves the main Campus”, “Go back to your drawing board,” amongst others.
From Agomenya through to Somanya―amidst chanting, singing and drumming, the aggrieved residents amassed at the Yilo Krobo Municipal Assemble where the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Ebenezer Tetteh Kupualor, received the petition on behalf of government.
Claims
The demonstrators claim that recent documentations revealed major facilities fit for a main campus were being constructed in Bunso―an area that was not included in the Act that sought to establish the university.
The main campus according to the Act, was supposed to be in Somaya and with affiliate campuses in Donkor Krom and at any chosen location.
“Currently, major facilities like the vice chancellor’s residence, major auditoriums and other facilities meant for the main campus are being sent to Bunso and we want government to explain to us why this is so,” one of the leaders said.
Government’s side
Meanwhile, the government of Ghana through the Ministry of Education had on Tuesday debunked claims that the UESD’s main campus was being relocated to Bunso.
According to the Education Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, nothing of such is happening.
“President John Dramani Mahama had cut the sod and Parliament a few months earlier had approved a commercial loan for the Brazilian company contractor to build and I must put on record that, that has not changed and will never change,” the minister said.
He continued: “Government of Ghana has not taken a single faculty building outside Somanya to be constructed…the contractors are in Ghana; the loan agreement has been made available and indeed nothing has been changed.”
Speaking on the Bunso ‘misinformation’, Dr. Prempeh said the Bunso campus is being funded by another loan agreement offered by a South Korean company through the South Korean Exim bank.
“It has nothing to do with what is going on in Somanya,” he reiterated and added that the current contract “has been negotiated, signed and approved by this current government.”
Dr. Prempeh revealed that the Bunso campus would house a Cocoa Research Institute and an Agric College which would serve as affiliate campuses for the UESD.
UESD
Former President John Dramani Mahama on December 29, 2016, cut sod for the construction of the UESD at Somanya, in the Eastern Region at the cost of £45 million.
By Grace Ablewor Sogbey
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