Addo-Kufuor now chancellor of KsTU

The Kumasi Technical University (KsTU) will today witness the investiture and swearing-in of a former Minister of Defence in the erstwhile Kufuor Administration, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor as the Chancellor.

He will be the first Chancellor since the university’s conversion into a technical university a few years ago.

The trained medical doctor and former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Manhyia, is coming to the position with a vast experience in the field of administration, teaching, medical practice and understanding of the political economy to bear on the university.

His main charge as a Chancellor is to help the university council to achieve the vision of the university, which is to “be a world-class technical university devoted to science, technology and entrepreneurship education,” through the provision of quality teaching, learning and research in engineering, science, technology and entrepreneurship to promote industrial development in Ghana.

Who is Dr Addo-Kufuor?

The immediate past Chairman of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, London and West African College of Physicians and the founder of Kufuor Clinic at Adum, Kumasi.

He has taught at the School of Medicine of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and has served as an Inspector of Examinations at the University of Ghana Medical School, Department of Medicine, and is a Member of the Court of Examiners responsible for assessing foreign-trained doctors wishing to practice in Ghana by the Ghana Medical and Dental Council.

He is also a three-time MP for Manhyia from 1996 to 2008 before it was divided into Manhyia North and Manhyia South.

While serving as MP, he was made Minister of Defence under the Fourth Republic.

Achievements

As an MP, he is credited for the Buokrom Estate Water Project, which brought a huge relief to the residents who had for years been faced with water problems.

His biggest project for the constituency was perhaps the Ash Town Community Centre. The centre has a library, computer laboratory, canteen, indoor games room, offices for the Manhyia Sub-Metro, a 300-seater capacity facility and a football field.

As a Minister of Defence, it was during Dr Addo-Kufur’s tenure that the Phase II of the 37 Military Hospital was constructed. The hospital was elevated to a Postgraduate Teaching Hospital.

The project consisted of a Polyclinic, an IT Centre, a Physiotherapy Department, a Male Surgical Ward, a Public Health Division, an Out-patient Clinic for Surgical Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ear, Nose and Throat, Dermatology, and Medical Departments.

Other significant achievements of Dr Addo-Kufuor as a Minister of Defence included the construction of the New Burma Hall and Library, the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, the Computer and Commercial Centre at Burma Camp, the Beijing Barracks, and the rehabilitation of the Nicholson Stadium.

It was during his tenure that the Postgraduate degree programme was introduced at the Armed Forces Staff and Command College.

Dr Addo-Kufuor also introduced the “Armed Forces Open Day” which was meant to improve relations between the military and the civilians, where civilians were encouraged to visit the barracks, interact with the service personnel and have a look at some of the military hardware.

The first chancellor of KsTU is expected to bring all these credentials to bear on the management and administration of the university and make it one of the best in the country.

About KsTU

Formerly known as the Kumasi Technical Institute (KTI), KsTU was established in 1954 to offer craft courses. It was converted into a non-tertiary Polytechnic status in 1963 under the Ghana Education Service (GES) to start offering, in addition, technician diploma and sub-professional courses.

The Polytechnic Law, 1992 (PNDC L.321) elevated the polytechnic to a tertiary institution to provide high calibre skilled manpower with reference to manufacturing, commerce, science and technology to act as a catalyst for technological development.

The Technical University Act 2016, (Act 922) converted Kumasi Polytechnic to the present Kumasi Technical University with the aim of providing higher education in engineering, applied arts, science technology-based disciplines, technical and vocational training.