The government of Ghana, led by President John Dramani Mahama, is set to introduce a new bill in Parliament to rename several public universities that were either established or renamed during the tenure of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The announcement was made by the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, during the inauguration of the Governing Council of the C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS) in Accra.
CKT-UTAS, established in 2021 to equip students with technical and practical skills for the global workforce, has faced significant infrastructure and resource challenges since its inception. The university’s name, which honours the late politician and traditional leader C.K. Tedam, has also drawn mixed reactions from the public, with some groups opposing it since its announcement.
Haruna Iddrisu noted that the renaming is part of a broader national reassessment of university identities and legacies.
“We have had extensive consultations with the academic community, traditional rulers, alumni, students, and civil society. As a result, the name C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences is likely to change—possibly reverting to its original conceptual vision,” the Minister stated.
He further emphasized that the upcoming bill will address multiple institutions affected by name changes during the Akufo-Addo administration. These include, but may not be limited to, the University of Mines and Technology and Abdulai Salifu University.
Haruna clarified that the renaming initiative is not intended to erase the contributions of the individuals after whom the universities were named:
“This is not to say those individuals do not deserve recognition, but the renaming will aim to restore the foundational ethos and historical identities of these institutions,” he explained.
The proposed bill is expected to be laid before Parliament in the coming weeks, sparking a national conversation about tradition, recognition, and educational identity in Ghana’s public university system.