Paramount Chiefs of the Kassena Nankana Traditional Area have expressed confidence in the ability of the Governing Council of the C. K. Tedam University of Technology & Applied Sciences, led by the Venerable Professor Gordon Awandare to provide strategic direction for the young but promising institution.
In particular, the chiefs have also declared their unflinching support for the adoption of best practices by the Governing Council in the criteria and procedures for appointing the next Vice-Chancellor and Registrar.
In a statement signed by Adiak Ayagitam 1, Chiana Pio & President of the Upper East Reg House of Chiefs, the Chiefs, further stated unequivocally that they are ready to work with the Management Team that would be put in place to help position the University, to achieve its mandate of “providing quality higher education, research, knowledge generation and dissemination with emphasis on basic and applied sciences and mathematics for the socio-economic development of Ghana and beyond.”
“We also deem it imperative to express our disgust at attempts by faceless individuals to misinform, mislead and incite a cross-section of the youth of Navrongo against the Governing Council and its highly esteemed Chairman during the process of a search for a new Vice-Chancellor and Registrar” the statement said.
“Notice is hereby served that such counter-productive acts shall not be countenanced henceforth. While urging members of the University community to resort to well established internal procedures for dispute resolution, we equally entreat the Police and the National Investigation Bureau to act swiftly to avert unwarranted demonstrations and acts of violence intended to disrupt the smooth running of the University,” it stated.
The statement further states that The C.K. Tedam University of Technology & Applied Sciences is a national asset, and the people of the Upper East Region are privileged to have it situated on their soil.
“It therefore behoves on us to jealously protect and preserve it, hence the urgent need to eschew needless litigations and acts of violence that have the potential to derail the progress of the university.”
The chiefs in the statement appealed to government, development partners, corporate entities and well-meaning individuals to come to the aid of the university in its quest to address the infrastructural inadequacies, through the construction of lecture halls, hostel facilities, science laboratories, and office space for smooth academic work.
A concerned youth group in Navrongo on February 24, urged the Governing Council of the CK Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CK UTAS) to ensure impartiality, fairness and the highest level of openness in the recruitment process to fill the vacant Vice Chancellor and Registrar positions.
According to them, the call has become necessary following increasing reports of irregularities in the search and recruitment process.
The CK UTAS is recruiting qualified persons to fill the vacant positions following the removal of the previous occupants – Professor Eric Magnus Wilmot and Dr. Vincent Ankamah-Lomotey who served as the Vice Chancellor and Registrar, respectively – by the ruling of the Bolgatanga High Court in November 2023.