As part of activities marking its 5th Anniversary, a delegation from the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD), led by the Registrar, called on the Ghana Air Force Command at the Airforce Headquarters, Burma Camp in Accra. The team was received by the Chief of Staff Officer, Air Commodore Mathias Awuah, who was joined by three senior officers.
The meeting, held in the spirit of institutional collaboration, sought to explore mutually beneficial partnerships in areas of environmental sustainability, national development, and capacity building. The Registrar noted that UESD, established by an Act of Parliament (Act 898 of 2015), is a forward-looking institution nurturing young minds to become national assets. With sustainability at the heart of its mandate, UESD recognises that “the environment is everybody’s business,” and the University exists to lead in addressing critical environmental challenges.
She recounted how UESD Began, from a modest beginning with nearly 80 students, UESD has grown steadily, guided by its core values represented in the acronym HOPE—Honesty, Opportunity, Perseverance, and Enterprising. The University is shaping students to become agents of change in today’s complex environmental landscape.
Mrs. Agyepong said, reaching out to the Ghana Air Force Command—an institution engaged in extensive flying operations—is strategic. The University hopes to leverage this partnership for joint projects in environmental surveillance, data collection, and national environmental policy advocacy.
Chairman of the UESD 5th Anniversary Planning Committee outlined the series of events scheduled to commemorate the milestone. These include a public float, lectures, the 2nd Congregation Ceremony, and a grand durbar in December. He emphasised the pressing need for evidence-based policy reviews in environmental management. “There is a huge gap in policy frameworks concerning environmental degradation. Without reliable data, we cannot restore what we do not understand,” he remarked. He noted that a credible institution like UESD is well-positioned to spearhead such a critical national agenda.
The University is collaborating with the Dwumfuor Foundation as part of the celebration. Dr. Dwumfuor, speaking on behalf of the foundation, called for support from the Ghana Air Force in undertaking a National Environmental Survey. The proposed project aims to identify environmental degradation hotspots, particularly the destruction of water bodies, and develop a comprehensive database to guide restoration and policymaking efforts.
In his response, Air Commodore Awuah acknowledged the relevance of UESD’s mission and expressed the Command’s willingness to support the initiative. “Flying operations remain our core mandate, but this proposed collaboration aligns with our civil-military relations strategy,” he stated. He emphasised the need for meticulous planning, given the capital-intensive nature of the survey, and proposed targeting key environmental hotspots for maximum impact.
The Air Commodore suggested the establishment of an Air Force Cadet Corps on the UESD campus and the rollout of sensitisation programmes on career prospects within the Ghana Armed Forces. He also encouraged the University’s management to consider expanding such engagements to other divisions of the Ghana Armed Forces for greater national reach.