The planned upgrade of Ohawu Agricultural College into a campus of the proposed University of Agriculture and Engineering Sciences is expected to bring major economic and educational benefits to the Ketu North Municipality.
Member of Parliament for Ketu North, Mr Eric Edem Agbana, said the move would expand academic opportunities, attract infrastructure investment and create new business prospects for residents in the area.
Speaking during his fourth quarterly Accountability Series at Tadzewu, Mr Agbana explained that the university project, to be based at Bunso in the Eastern Region, had received strong financial support from the Government of Korea.
He said the government had adopted a multi-campus approach to speed up the establishment of the institution rather than waiting for the completion of a single main campus.
Under the arrangement, Ohawu Agricultural College will serve as the agricultural campus of the proposed university, while the main campus at Bunso will focus on engineering programmes.
Mr Agbana said Ohawu was not part of the original project design but was later included after continuous engagement and advocacy.
According to him, all legislative processes have been completed, and President John Dramani Mahama has already assented to the bill after parliamentary approval.
He explained that the new status would transform Ohawu Agric College from an institution offering mainly certificate and diploma programmes into one capable of providing degree and postgraduate studies.
“Currently, the institution does not reflect the status expected of a higher learning facility, but with this upgrade we expect major improvements in infrastructure and academic programmes,” he said.
The MP noted that the establishment of a university campus would increase student enrolment and create opportunities for traders, transport operators and other service providers in the municipality.
He also appealed to traditional authorities, government officials and other stakeholders to support the project to ensure its successful implementation.
Mr Agbana expressed confidence that the agricultural campus could eventually grow into a fully-fledged university in the Volta Region in the future.
