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| Deputy Education Minister, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa |
The Government of Ghana has announced that it is initiating steps to takeover the Ghana Technology (Telecom) University College (GTUC) from Vodafone Ghana Limited.
In a statement released by the the public relations unit of the Ministry of Education, Government said the process forms part of the transfer of assets under the GoG/Vodafone/Ghana Telecom Re-Engagement Agreement signed in 2012.
The statement also disclosed that the Ministry of Education has constituted a Working Committee to ensure the smooth transfer of the university.
The Committee is made up of representatives from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, Attorney-General’s Department, National Council for Tertiary Education, National Accreditation Board, Ghana Technology University College and Vodafone Ghana Limited. It is chaired by the Deputy Minister in charge of Tertiary Education, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
Ghana in 2012 sold the then Ghana Telecom, operators of the Onetouch network, to Vodafone Uk.
Below is the full release:
Government has initiated steps for the smooth takeover of the Ghana Technology (Telecom) University College (GTUC) from Vodafone Ghana Limited. The process forms part of the transfer of assets under the GoG/Vodafone/Ghana Telecom Re-Engagement Agreement signed in 2012.
As part of the process, the Ministry of Education has been tasked to engage with the management of Vodafone Ghana Limited and GTUC to ensure that appropriate arrangements are put in place for the University College to be managed as one of the Public Tertiary Institutions in Ghana.
The Ministry of Education has accordingly constituted a Working Committee to concretise and finalise the transfer. The Committee is made up of representatives from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, Attorney-General’s Department, National Council for Tertiary Education, National Accreditation Board, Ghana Technology University College and Vodafone Ghana Limited. It is chaired by the Deputy Minister in charge of Tertiary Education, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
The Working Committee has held two initial meetings and has developed a road map with timelines to guide the efficient and effective performance of their mandate. Deliberations have been fruitful and cordial so far and remarkable progress has been made.
A Draft Bill to give effect to the transfer process has been prepared and is being considered by the Attorney-General’s Department. It is envisaged that the takeover will be completed for the commencement of the 2016/2017 academic year in September.
It is the view of Government that the transformation of the GTUC as a Public Tertiary Institution would further transform the institution into a niched world class centre of excellence. It is also expected that fees for its programmes would become more affordable and regulated consistent with policies guiding Ghanaian public tertiary institutions.
The GTUC is a Private University College established in 2006 to provide broad and practical training in technology oriented education to meet the needs of the country and the sub-region. The College has its roots in Ghana Telecom’s flagship Training Centre, which was one of a kind in West Africa. It was first used as a Royal Air Force Training School during the Second World War and subsequently handed to Cable and Wireless to train Telecommunications Technicians for British West African Countries (i.e., Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and the Gambia).
The Training Centre progressed rapidly to become the main source of teaching and certification in Telecommunications Engineering for Ghana Telecom employers as well as other institutions in Ghana and West Africa. In 2005, Ghana Telecom’s management upgraded the infrastructure and equipment to modern standards in preparation for converting the training centre into a University for Telecommunication and Multimedia Engineering & Information Technology. However, in 2007 GTUC was part of the assets sold to Vodafone during the sale of Ghana Telecom.
ISSUED BY THE PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT OF THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION IN ACCRA ON 31ST MARCH, 2016.
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