Mr Mahama Ayariga, the Deputy Minister of Education, has inspected “incubatory” facilities for the proposed University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in the Volta Region.
The facilities include an abandoned one-story hostel of the Government Secretariat School in Ho, site for a 400-bed hostel each for male and female students at the Volta Regional Hospital and a Mothers’ Lodge turned classroom block also at the Regional Hospital.
Others are military facilities at Akoefe, near Ho, which will be used as hostels, part of newly built nurses’ quarters to be used as lecturers’ accommodation and accommodation for the Vice Chancellor and Registrar at the Regional Administration’s Guest House.
Mr Ayariga after the inspection described the facilities as “capable” of helping start the University with some little rehabilitation.
“We have designed a modern facility for the University with funding from outside but because we want to start now, we want to use some already existing facilities,” he said.
Mr Ayariga said procurement processes had started and that plans were far advanced for the first admission this year.
He said, “We have spoken extensively to some established universities like the University of Ghana, Legon to help build the University of Health and Allied Sciences.”
Mr Ayariga said UHAS would start small for the first three years and expand later in line with the capacity of the Regional Hospital to offer other studies such as clinical.
He said President John Evan Atta Mills remained very committed to the project and meeting the deadline of its establishment.
Mr Ayariga was accompanied on the inspection by Mr Joseph Amenowode, Volta Regional Minister, Mr Gabriel Kploanyi, Volta Regional Director of Education and some officials from the Ghana Education Service.