At a colourful Investiture ceremony held at Sumbrungu, the main campus of the University, Professor Francis Abantanga, Chairman, Governing Council of the University, who performed the ceremony, charged the new Vice Chancellor to remain focused on the development of the school.

Professor Alnaa joined the Bolgatanga Technical University, the then Bolgatanga Polytechnic in 2007, as a lecturer and rose through the ranks to become an Associate Professor in Economics in 2016.

Before becoming the Rector of the Polytechnic in 2018, Professor Alnaa held the positions of the Acting Dean of Students from May to September 2014, Vice Rector from 2013 to 2018 and Acting Rector from 2017 to 2018.

Since the conversion of the Polytechnic into a Technical University in April 2020, he had been acting as the Vice Chancellor of the University until his appointment by the Governing Council and subsequent approval by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC).

Professor Alnaa is an astute academician and a scholar in financial economics.

Professor Abantanga described the new Vice Chancellor as a soft-spoken person whose elevation was as a result of resilience, hard work and perseverance also as one who played critical role in the conversion of the Bolgatanga Polytechnic into a Technical University.

He said the Vice Chancellor had extensive background in economics and financial training in both formal and informal sectors with genuine interest in research and an excellent ability to work under pressure.

“His achievements are wide, covering the entire University; from chairing committees to providing strategic leadership and management of the University resources including staff, finances, equipment and vehicles, to drafting curricula for both HND and Bachelor of Technology programmes and providing necessary infrastructure for successful conversion of the Bolgatanga Polytechnic to a Technical University,” he said.

On his part, Professor Alnaa expressed gratitude to the Governing Council and GTEC and other stakeholders for the confidence reposed in him and pledged “to position the University as a world-class technical and vocational education and training institution with innovative academic programmes and turning out graduates with 21st century skills.”

His vision, Professor Alnaa said was driven by six main but interrelated strategic thrusts aimed at addressing key challenges confronting the University to position it on the global map as the most preferred TVET institution.

He said the University would put in place measures to increase revenue mobilisation, good governance and management and strengthen institutional linkages to meet global, national and local best practices.

He said “becoming a Vice Chancellor is an uphill task but being a Vice Chancellor is a daunting downhill task. Getting down this hill may take four to eight years, but how one gets down this hill is what matters most. I have, therefore, taken upon myself to leave behind tracks worthy of emulation in my downhill descend”.

Mr Stephen Yakubu, the Upper East Regional Minister, charged the new Vice Chancellor to introduce innovative programmes which would respond appropriately to the fast transition world of integrated and interdependent global economy.