Yilo NDC insists govt intends relocating main campus of UESD from Somanya to Bunso
The Yilo krobo wing of the opposition National Democratic Congress has in a release dubbed, ‘the USED saga, setting the records straight,’ rejected claims by President Akuffo Addo that the University of Environment and Sustainable Development will not be relocated from Somanya to Bunso.
The NDC in the release signed by its Constituency Communication Officer, Emmanuel Akumatey Okrah accused the president of deliberately avoiding the core issues of moving the main campus from Somanya to Bunso when he spoke on the subject at the when he inspected ongoing works at the University.
President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as part of his three day tour to the Eastern region urged the people of Somanya and the Eastern Region, to ignore the propaganda fed into the system by elements of the National Democratic Congress, to the effect that the University of Environment and Sustainable Development will be relocated from Somanya to Bunso.
Speaking on Thursday, November 22, 2018, on day one of his 3-day tour of the Eastern Region, President Akufo-Addo noted that the purpose of his visit to Somanya was not only to renew relations and acquaintances with the people, but also to put to death some deliberate misinformation that has been fed into the system.
Responding to concerns raised by the Chiefs of the Traditional Area, the President stated that “there is only one University Environment and Sustainable Development here in the Eastern Region.
It is the first public University in the Eastern Region. It has only one Vice Chancellor, it has one administrative headquarters. The Vice Chancellor’s residence is going to be built here (in Somanya). The administrative headquarters is also being built here (in Somanya).”
But the biggest opposition party in maintaining its stand of accusing the ruling government of colluding to deal indigenes of Somanya a ‘raw deal’ by relocating the main campus of the University to Bunso, discounted the claims by the country’s leader.
The party in wondering the objectives behind what it called the duplication of the vice chancellor’s residence at both Somanya and Bunso Campuses said the president failed to explain the need for the construction of a Vice Chancellor’s residence on a campus it says is a satellite campus.
“…we expect the president to clarify how the Bunso Campus project has a Vice Chancellors Residence to be constructed for it since as per the Presidents claim, the only University of Environment is the one in Somanya,” the statement noted.
The NDC in the press release on Monday maintained that it was still baffled by how the Bunso campus of the University Environment and Sustainable Development which is supposed to be a satellite campus could cost 107,563054 million dollars while its campus at Somanya said to be the main campus of the University is costing some $ 45m.
“The Bunso Campus Project which is supposed to be a third campus after Donkorkrom, is being estimated at a cost of 107,563,054m dollars for which a loan amount of 90m dollars from the Korean Exim bank was approved by Parliament, whilst the Somanya Campus project which is said to be the main campus is being constructed with just an amount of 45m dollars,” the statement doubted.
Aside this, the party is also questioning the size of the supposed satellite campus against that of the main campus which it maintains is awkward.
“The Bunso campus is going to be built on an area of 34,633sqm whilst the Somanya Campus has a total built area of 11000sqm,” the statement wondered.
President Akufo-Addo noted that the agreement between Ghana and the Italian Government for the establishment of the University does not allow him nor anyone else to relocate the University to Bunso, as is being propagated by the NDC, or to any part of the country, for that matter.
Another area which raises eyebrows, the NDC says, are structures projected to be erected on the two campuses.
The party while comparing the intended infrastructures on the two campuses observed that the discrepancy further goes to strengthen its suspicion that “there is a subtle attempt to shift the main campus to Bunso with Somanya becoming the satellite campus.
Find below the full statement from the NDC:
NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS YILO KROBO CONSTITUENCY
PRESS RELEASE
THE USED SAGA, SETTING THE RECORDS STRAIGHT
We noted with shock, as the president began his tour of the Eastern Region, the deliberate misinformation being carried by him throughout his tour. One of such cases as captured under the headline IGNORE NDC PROPAGANDA, UNIVERSITY OF ENVIRONMENT WILL REMAIN IN SOMANYA-PRESIDENT AKUFO ADDO“[www.peacefmonline.com,www.presidency.gov.gh and other site]happened on 22nd of November 2018 at Somanya in the Eastern Region where the President engaged in the peddling of a marathon of untruth.
As much as we are not surprised at the series of misleading statements by the first gentleman of the land, it is important for us to clarify that our original position on government`s Relocation of the main of the Main campus of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development has not changed.
Unfortunately, apart from the propaganda that smeared the President`s speech at the University site, it did little to assuage our fears about the subtle attempt to move the main campus from Somanya to Bunso.
It is instructive to note that, the President cleverly failed to address the thorny issue about the Main Campus moving to Bunso. The President was silent on Parliaments approval of a loan amount of 90m dollars for the construction of the Bunso Campus of University of Environment and Sustainable Development even though Act 898[2015]which established the University mention Somanya as Main campus and Donkorkrom as Satellite campus. The President rather chose an easy route by saying his enemies have said the entire university project was being moved to Bunso. Our conviction stems from available evidence from the loan agreement in respect of the Construction of a Bunso Campus Project of Ghana. It is important to note the key issues which include but not limited to following;S RESIDENCE: As can be seen from the supporting documents, a Vice Chancellor
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<li>LOAN AMOUNT VRS PROJECTS COST: The Bunso campus project, which is supposed to be a third campus after Donkorkrom, is being estimate at a cost of 107,563,054m dollars for which a loan amount of 90m dollars from the Korean Exim bank was approved by Parliament, whilst the Somanya Campus project which is the main campus is being constructed with just an amount of 45m dollars. {Reference: Parliament of Ghana Finance Committee Report page 6, point No.7.5}</li>
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THE PROPOSED SIZES OF SOMANYA AND BUNSO CAMPUSES: The Bunso Campus is going to be built on an area of 34,633sqm whilst the Somanya Campus has total build area of 11,000sqm. {Reference: Finance Committees Report page 6, point No.7.5}
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<li>DUPLICATION OF VICE CHANCELLORs Resident is to be constructed for the Bunso Campus, per the loan agreement. {See Finance Committee Report, Point No.5}. We expected the President to clarify how the Bunso Campus project has a Vice Chancellors Residence to be constructed for it since as per the President`s claim, the only University of Environment is the one in Somanya.
HEADQUARTERS as captured under item No.2.1,with an estimated Total cost of constructed at GH6266,417.00.We again needed clarity {which did not happen} on why the Bunso Campus Project had a Headquarters to be constructed for it even though we are told by the President that There is only one UniversityAnother area which raises eyebrows are the structures expected to be built on the two campuses. The following structures have been earmarked for the main campus in Somanya.
1] Central Administration Building
2] Lecture Building
3] Auditorium
4] Main Library
5] Vice Chancellor`s Residence
6] Pro Vice Chancellor`s Residence
7] Key Officers` Residence and
8] Key Officers` Residence
9] One [1] Hostel
The Bunso Campus Project has the following structures allocated to it 1] Main Administration Block 2] School of Agriculture *Lecture halls *Faculty offices and *Seminar rooms
3] School of Engineering *Lecture halls *Faculty offices and *Multimedia Laboratory
4] Shared Laboratory
5] Vice Chancellor`s Residence
6]20 Residencies for Professors
7]24 Residencies for Senior Lecturers
8]46 Residencies for other Staff
9] Auditorium
10] Library
11]216 Hostels
{See page 6 of Finance Committee report, item No.7.5}
The above information goes to strengthen our suspicion that there is a subtle attempt to shift the main campus to Bunso with Somanya becoming the satellite campus considering the fact that not too long ago, Hon Atta Akyea, now Minister for Works, is on record to have said that Somanya does not deserve the Eastern University main campus, while he was in opposition. The posture of the Minister for Tertiary Education, who has ordered that nobody be granted entry to the UESD Somanya site including Chiefs and Parliamentarians, coupled with recent turn of events, where close to 150 employees on the university site have been dismissed, has led to a growing disquiet among the populace in the whole Dangmeland.
We are not surprised it had to take the entire government machinery to come to Somanya led by the President to defend the indefensible. The schools, Departments, Programs and facilities to be hosted by the Bunso campus far outnumber that to be hosted by the Somanya campus.
In order to strengthen our case, we have attached excerpts of the following documents to this statement for the perusal of the public:
- The university of Environment and for Sustainable Development Act 898,[2015],
2.The Finance Committee Report on the loan Agreement between the Government of Ghana and The Korean EXIM Bank for a loan amount not exceeding 90m dollars for the construction of the UESD,BUNSO campus and
3.The joint Parliament Memo random by the Finance Ministry and the Education Ministry, on behalf of Government and the EXIM Bank of Korean for the said loan amount.
Considering the above information put out, we are convinced the President was out to mislead him in making the above statement considering the tones of information to the contrary.
We also noted the numerous promises the President gave when he came for the tour, prominent among them being Asesewa and Klo-Agogo roads as well as the Oterkporlu and Okwenya Bridges, but unfortunately none of these Projects were captured in the just present 2019 budget by the Finance Minister.
Mr President, please pay attention to the requests of the Chiefs on our share of the One District, One Factory. We are waiting for the Cement Factory you promised the people in Yilo Krobo
Thank you
Long live Ghana.
Emmanuel Akumatey Okrah.
Constituency communication Officer
Issued, 26th Nov.2018
