Last Updated on February 17, 2023 by Admin
The Obuasi Municipal Assembly (OMA) on Wednesday afternoon signed a Memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) at the office of the Municipal Chief Executive.
The significance of the MoU was to officially hand over the facilities for the establishment of the Knust-Obuasi campus. Hon. Elijah Adansi-Bonah and Prof. Rita Akosua Dickson signed the MOU on behalf of the Obuasi Municipal Assembly and KNUST respectively.
Though the university campus has already commenced since 2019 with over 2000 student population, the only outstanding issue was the MOU which would give legal backing to the establishment of the school.
The processes leading to the signing of the MOU began in 2020 but had to be delayed upon the request of both parties to fine- tune some aspects of it.
Before both representatives of the two parties could append their signatures to the document, the Vice Chancellor of KNUST Prof. Rita Akosua Dickson hailed the partnership between KNUST and the Obuasi Municipal Assembly which she said has been healthy from the early stages of the establishment of the school till date.
She was particularly hopeful that the continuous support and feedback from the Assembly will further enhance the existing relationship and will ensure that the school delivers on its mandate of providing world class, quality education to the students of the KNUST- OBUASI campus.
The Vice Chancellor further talked about the strides made since the school was established saying ” from a humble beginnings of 343 students in 2009, the school can now boast of more than 2400 student population with 15 programs, 75 percent being science”.
Hon Elijah Adansi-Bonah, the Municipal Chief Executive for Obuasi said the presence of the University campus in Obuasi has boosted the local economy and further contributed to diversifying the economy of Obuasi which has over the years relied on the Obuasi Mine.
He said he was excited the school is making progress stressing that he expects the school to be a world class University capable of churning out transformational leaders.
Touching on some of the key contents in the Memorandum of Understanding, Adansi- Bonah said the Assembly acknowledges the huge responsibility placed on its shoulders saying that the Assembly is equal to the task and will make sure it will not shirk its responsibilities as contained in the MOU.
He revealed that the Assembly has so far acquired a 50 acre land at Nhyiaeso in the Obuasi Municipality for the establishment of a University.
He said the continuous healthy relationship between the OMA and KNUST has the potential of inviting more infrastructural projects to the school to solve the ever increasing student population.