The government has finalised a $92 million financing agreement with a Korean contractor to resume and complete construction of the University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences (UEAS), a project that stalled after Ghana entered a debt exchange programme in 2023.
The deal, announced on April 3, 2026, marks a significant step toward delivering an institution that has been years in the making. The UEAS will have its main campus in Bunso in the Eastern Region, with satellite campuses at Kenyasi in the Ashanti Region and Acherensua in the Ahafo Region.
Operating as an autonomous institution, the University will offer higher education to qualified students, conduct research in engineering and agricultural sciences, and apply knowledge to address societal needs.
The project was first initiated under the previous administration. President Akufo-Addo broke ground on construction at Bunso in May 2022, with the project originally valued at $90 million and funded through the Export-Import Bank of Korea and the Republic of Korea’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF), with a target completion of 24 months.
Construction subsequently stalled. Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, who visited the site in January 2026, acknowledged that Ghana’s debt exchange programme had constrained public spending and delayed payments to contractors, leaving $28.6 million outstanding, including $9.8 million owed by the Ministry of Finance.
October 2026 Student Intake Targeted
The university is expected to begin academic work with an initial intake of 800 students, split equally between Agricultural Sciences and Engineering and related disciplines, once it officially takes off in October 2026.
The conclusion of the $92 million deal signals that financing has been resolved and construction can now proceed toward that target. The university forms part of the government’s broader strategy to expand tertiary education, increase gross tertiary enrolment, strengthen agricultural productivity, and enhance Ghana’s engineering, research, and innovation capacity, while deepening academic and cultural cooperation between Ghana and South Korea.
Agriculture contributes 20 to 26 percent of Ghana’s GDP and employs nearly half of the workforce, yet many farmers along the agricultural value chain still rely on outdated practices, limiting high-yield crop production and national agricultural output. The UEAS is intended to address that gap by producing a new generation of technically trained graduates in fields directly linked to food security and industrial competitiveness.
