Seth Terkper calls for improved funding and infrastructure for UESD

The University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD) has marked its fifth anniversary in Somanya, with its council chairman, former Finance Minister Seth Terkper, acknowledging the university’s rapid growth while highlighting persistent infrastructure challenges.

Speaking at the institution’s second congregation ceremony, Terkper said UESD had grown “from a modest beginning to a vibrant institution,” with student enrollment rising from 78 in 2020 to more than 1,330 this academic year.

He noted that new graduate programs, an expanded staff base, and a growing network of academic partnerships had strengthened the university’s standing in environmental sciences and sustainable development.

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But Terkper admitted the growth had brought “significant pressures.” Many students have had to live off-campus due to stalled accommodation projects, forcing some to walk long distances to lectures.

He added that community members had stepped in, converting commercial spaces into accommodations or opening their homes to students “at very short notice.”

“These challenges have slowed our start-up and limited our strategic momentum,” Seth Terkper said.

“We still have critically uncompleted physical development projects preventing us from achieving our full potential,” he added.

He also cited funding disruptions, including the diversion of funds meant for university projects, which the council has formally referred to the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC).

“We do not recount these circumstances to sour a joyful occasion,” he said, “but they are realities we must confront.”

Terkper pointed to recent government commitments as signs of progress. Two new 450-bed hostel blocks have been approved, which he described as an “initial intervention” to ease accommodation challenges.

He also acknowledged the assistance of past and current Education Ministers, particularly former minister Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, whose “critical assistance” helped the university navigate difficult periods.

Established in 2015 under Act 898, UESD was designed to serve as a centre of excellence for environmental studies and contribute to Ghana’s pursuit of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Terkper said the university’s first five years had remained true to that mandate, crediting faculty and staff for building “a place where knowledge meets responsibility and innovation meets environmental consciousness.”

Addressing the Class of 2025, he urged graduates to carry that ethos into their careers.

“Your education is a tool for service. Let the principles of sustainability guide your every action and decision. The world awaits your ideas, your energy, and your integrity,” he said.

Looking ahead, Terkper said the council was reviewing the university’s five-year strategic plan, focusing on continuity rather than overhaul.

“We took a cautious decision not to jettison progress under the old plan and we will build on what has been achieved to ensure the university remains agile and impactful,” Terkper noted.

He concluded by thanking community leaders, families, faculty, and government agencies for their support.

“With your partnership, we will continue to strengthen governance, expand infrastructure, and attract investment in research and innovation,” he said.

“Our task is to nurture a university that contributes meaningfully to regional, national, and international development.”