The Parliamentary Select Committee on Education in Ghana has called on the government and the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to prioritize infrastructure development at Dr Hilla Limann Technical University in Wa. The committee's visit to the university was part of an assessment of challenges confronting tertiary institutions in the Upper West Region. A member of the Committee, Dr Fred Kyei Asamoah, made the appeal during the visit on Thursday, October 29, 2026.
Dr Kyei Asamoah expressed concern over the absence of an auditorium at the University, which forced first-year students to undergo orientation in an open space on campus. He challenged the government to provide the University with a new auditorium before the current first-year students complete their second year. Dr Kyei Asamoah also called for increased government investment in technical and vocational education, describing it as critical to addressing unemployment and creating opportunities for young people.
The Vice-Chancellor of Dr Hilla Limann Technical University, Professor Hamidatu Dramani, said inadequate funding continues to constrain the university's expansion and delivery of quality technical education. She identified the absence of student accommodation as a major concern, describing Dr Hilla Limann Technical University as the only technical university without a hostel facility. Professor Dramani acknowledged ongoing efforts to complete an abandoned hostel project but urged the government to provide additional funding.
Professor Dramani further appealed for the completion of an abandoned faculty building project, the construction of an auditorium, and the provision of improved access roads. She said the university had submitted a request for a nine-kilometre road network, adding that even the construction of 4.5 kilometres would make a significant difference. The Vice-Chancellor also highlighted the absence of an entrance gate, although management had begun efforts to construct one.
The Parliamentary Select Committee subsequently visited the Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS), where the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Emmanuel Kanchebe Derbile, appealed for a fairer distribution of academic and administrative staff among public universities. He said UBIDS has a student population of nearly 10,000 but only 470 staff members, a situation he said was putting pressure on the institution's academic operations.
Professor Derbile called for a special recruitment initiative to support newly established universities, arguing that their staffing needs must be considered in national recruitment and resource allocation. The Committee's visit to the two universities was aimed at assessing their operational and infrastructural challenges and identifying areas requiring government intervention.
The engagements provided an opportunity for university authorities to present their concerns and appeal for increased investment to improve teaching, learning, and institutional development in the Upper West Region. The committee's visit highlights the need for government support to address the challenges facing tertiary institutions in the region.
Key points
- Dr Hilla Limann Technical University requires more infrastructure, including an auditorium and hostel facilities.
- The university's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Hamidatu Dramani, cited inadequate funding as a major constraint.
- UBIDS Vice-Chancellor, Professor Emmanuel Kanchebe Derbile, called for a fairer distribution of academic and administrative staff among public universities.
