President John Dramani Mahama is expected to assent to the new University for Development Studies (UDS) Act not sooner than Friday, the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu has announced. The Minister further commended both the Majority and Minority sides of Parliament for facilitating the smooth legislative processes for the passage of the bill.
The Education Minister who doubles as the Member of Parliament for the Tamale South constituency in the Northern Region made the disclosure during the Northern Development Conference held on Monday, July 21, in Tamale at the UDS Dr Andani Andan Academic Board Chamber.
“…Then finally to the UDS, I am happy to convey to you that no sooner than Friday, President John Dramani Mahama will assent to a new UDS Act. And thanks to my colleagues from both sides of the House. So, the UDS Bill – Mr. Vice Chancellor and Dean of Students, we have honored our words.
“Parliament has passed the bill and by Friday it should be assented into law and we will now have a full-fledged University with campuses here, Choggu, Yendi and possible campuses in Salaga, Damongo and Nalerigu” Mr. Iddrisu stated.
The Education Minister has also given the assurance that the Mahama led government is committed to having a University in each region of Ghana.
“But to assure you all that it is the greatest desire of President Mahama to have a University in each region of Ghana and I am far working at it to get work started in Bono [Kintampo] and I am now looking at Salaga and Damongo which should compete for the headquarters of the University for the Savannah region and the traditional Gambaga and Nalerigu who will host the training college” he said.
Disputes
The Tamale South lawmaker however expressed worry that some parts of the north is still bedeviled with chieftaincy and ethnic disputes that bothers on chieftaincy and land issues and called on all stakeholders especially traditional leaders to foster peace and unity in the area to attract both local and foreign investors.
“The North is still not without conflicts–some of the conflicts bother on chieftaincy, some of it on land disputes; how do we make the north an attractive destination for foreign investment?” he queried.
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, in his remarks further asserted that the Tamale Metropolitan area has a hydro potential and assured that this will soon be revealed by scientific findings.
