Professor Richard Boamah, the Dean of Students, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology,KNUST, has revealed that the Obuasi campus will start with over 500 students when they resume on Friday, 13th September, 2019. This was revealed in a Stakeholders forum organised by the Obuasi Municipal Assembly in partnership with AngloGold Ashanti to update stakeholders on the commencement of the Obuasi Campus of KNUST.
Speaking at the forum, the Obuasi Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Elijah Adansi Bonnah, revealed that the Obuasi campus of the KNUST has the blessings of the government and the people of Obuasi should therefore see it as their own.
“Government has given accreditation for the commencement of the campus and KNUST fully supports the campus too. Let’s not think this project belongs to the government, lets see it as one of the benefits we are gaining from the presence of the mine in our community”, he said.
Speaking on behalf of the Managing Director of AngloGold Ashanti, Edmund Oduro stated that the Mine is still keen on making communities in their catchment areas to be better off than they were before the coming of the Mine.
The chairperson for the occasion, the Queen Mother of Adansi Traditional Council, Nana Amoanimaa Dede II, couldn’t hide her joy as she believed the commencement of the University comes with a lot of benefits for the Adansi community.
KNUST beat 2 other universities to win the offer
Dr. Daniel Boris Bekoe, the Public Relations Officer of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, revealed that KNUST wasn’t the only university wishing to have their satelite campus in Obuasi. There were two others.
“The process started with 3 universities competing to have their campuses here. But we were given the opportunity”, he said.
“The opening of a university in every town comes with a lot of financial benefits and business opportunities. Also the establishment of a university brings criminals too which we all need to be community dogwatch”, he added.
Dr. Bekoe also said the university is hoping to admit more students in the coming years.
“This month, about 500 students will begin the university. 57,000 students are currently at the Kumasi campus and we hope to increase the number of admissions in the Obuasi campus in the coming years” he added.
Obuasi campus is the 11th satellite campus of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana.
How It All Began
AngloGold Ashanti Ghana’s Obuasi Mine, has consolidated its operational Surface footprint to the south section. As a result, office complexes and residential properties at the north mine have become redundant to the Obuasi mining operations. The mine therefore submitted a proposal to the Government to use the northern facilities to establish a university campus in an attempt to diversify the Obuasi economy. Government approved the proposal and formed a committee comprising AngloGold Ashanti Ghana (AGAG), the traditional leaders, the Municipal Assembly, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to plan and execute the establishment of the University Campus.