Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin
Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, Chancellor of the University of Agriculture and Environmental Studies in the East Akim municipality of the Eastern Region, has debunked reports that the university is collapsing.
The President of the Akyem-Abuakwa Traditional Council, who made the comments during the maiden graduation ceremony of the agric-based university – where 13 students graduated – said although the Bunso-based university has challenges, it is far from collapsing as being speculated by some people.
According to the Okyenhene, the university has been facing financial challenges, adding that he personally offered support to it.
Okyenhene, who doubles as the President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs, said that the university would surmount all the challenges and achieve its core objectives of training experts in agriculture and related disciplines.
He also urged the graduands to make positive impact on the job market with their skills.
Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, on 10th October, 2009, inaugurated the Bunso University College of Agriculture and Environment – the first tertiary institution to be established by a traditional council in the country.
About 72 years ago, the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council, under the reign of Nana Ofori Atta II, established the Abuakwa State College, which was then the only second cycle institution in the country to be established by a traditional council.
Okyenhene’s university, which commenced the enrollment of students in January 2010, offers programmes such as Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Sustainable Agricultural Science, Sustainable Forestry, Environmental Science, Environmental Management and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
The university is affiliated to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KUST), University of Waggningen, Holland, and also has a working relationship with the Good Governance Group of the United Kingdom.
It also collaborates with the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG), Tafo, the Plant Genetics Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Oil Palm Research Institute of Kusi.
