A delegation from the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD), Somanya, Eastern Region led by Vice-Chancellor, Professor Eric Nyarko-Sampson, has called on the Chief of Staff, Mr. Julius Debrah, at the Presidency in Accra.
The visit was aimed at formally inviting Mr. Debrah to serve as Guest of Honour at the University’s 2nd Congregation, scheduled for November, and to brief him on the institution’s progress over the past five years.
Prof. Nyarko-Sampson was accompanied by the Registrar, Mrs. Mary Abena Agyepong, Acting Dean of SNES, Professor Shine Francis Gbedemah, Director of Finance, Mr. Baffuor Awua-Kwabi, and personnel from the University Relations Office.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor outlined the University’s growth since it began operations in 2021 with two schools—the School of Sustainable Development (SSD) and the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences (SNES). He noted that UESD currently boasts of 10 departments, offering 30 accredited programmes (27 of which are currently running) and three postgraduate programmes. Student enrolment has grown from 78 at inception to nearly 1,400 students today. The University’s operations are guided by its core values captured in the acronym HOPE; Honesty, Opportunity, Perseverance, and Enterprising.
Despite the progress, the Vice-Chancellor lamented the stalled GETFund projects on campus, which include a library complex, auditorium, administration block, hostel, and lecture theatres—most of which are about 80 percent complete. He appealed to the government for support to ensure their completion, noting that the University has not yet received its seed funding, a situation that continues to hamper its growth.
Touching on the upcoming Congregation, Prof. Nyarko-Sampson explained that inviting Mr. Debrah as Guest of Honour was a deliberate effort to involve distinguished sons and daughters of Kroboland in the affairs of the University. He revealed that about 200 students are expected to graduate at the ceremony.
The Director of Finance, Mr. Baffuor Awua-Kwabi, added his voice to the Vice-Chancellor’s appeal for government’s support, particularly financial, stressing that as a young institution, UESD cannot rely solely on its Internally Generated Funds (IGF) to sustain operations.
In his response, Mr. Debrah commended the Vice-Chancellor and his team for their dedication and leadership in steering the young University towards growth and excellence. He assured the delegation that he would liaise with the GETFund Secretariat to address he University’s most urgent infrastructure needs first. He also expressed his appreciation for the invitation, saying he was honoured to serve as Guest of Honour for the forthcoming congregation.
As part of the visit, the Registrar, Mrs. Agyepong, presented a copy of the UESD Strategic Plan and promotional materials of the University to the Chief of Staff.