Prof. Fred Binkah
The University for Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) may not be able to admit its first batch of students in September this year due to inadequate infrastructure.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Fred Binkah, expressed fear over the state of the administration block which he said was not strong enough.
According to him, although the edifice was beautiful, it might not stand a heavy storm, adding that an angry mob could easily pull it down.
Apart from the poor strength of the structure, he expressed concern about the capacity, saying, “The administration block cannot contain the number of administrative staff to start the university.”
The Pro Vice Chancellor made the revelations at a public forum in Ho yesterday, on the state of the UHAS.
The Vice Chancellor, who is to head an interim governing council with Prof. Kwame Wiredu as the Pro Vice Chancellor, to ensure the smooth take-off of the university and its running, noted that he was hopeful that the university would meet its target of admitting 200 students this September.
He however noted that the hostel provided for the anticipated 200 was also inadequate and that the university would be relying on the nurses quarters in Ho to complement both student and staff accommodation. He said the university was yet to be accredited by the National Accreditation Board, adding that he was hoping it would be done by the end of this month, followed by adverts for admission, as “without accreditation we cannot make any admissions”.
Despite these challenges, Prof Binkah noted that with the preparations done so far, the university should be able to start in September.
He said the programmes of study had all been designed with a graduate programme in sports and exercise medicine as one of them. The deans of the various faculties are all in place. The school will also have three institutes.
The Volta Regional Minister, Henry Ford Kamel, noted that the public forum could not have come at a better time, since it was significant for the public to know the truth about UHAS. He said a lot of work had been done to ensure the smooth take-off of the university; yet, information on the progress of work was woefully inadequate and so the forum had come to fix that.
He commended the university implementation taskforce for a job well done and expressed hope that the interim council would continue the good work. Mr. Kamel also called on all Ghanaians, particularly voltarians, to support UHAS to become a centre of excellence in health education across the world.
He noted that government would ensure that all other things needed to make the university a state-of-the-art would be provided.
The University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), together with the University of Renewable Energy in the Brong Ahafo Region, was established under ACT 828, 2011.
It is one of the campaign promises of the NDC in the run-up to the 2008 elections and one that is very dear to the hearts of the people of the region. President Mills cut the sod for the commencement of work in February last year.
However, commencement of work at the site had delayed due to preliminary technical work. This incurred the displeasure of people of the region who felt that the promise will not materialize. The agitations, although not welcomed by the government, sped up work on the university which is now expected to admit its first batch of students in September.
From Fred Duodu, Ho
