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Focus more on STEM courses…Gifty Twum Ampofo tells Technical Universities
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The Deputy Minister of Education in charge of Technical Vocational Education and Training, Mrs Gifty Twum-Ampofo has called on technical
universities to focus more on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics(STEM) courses and less humanities in their universities.
According to her, the technical universities were set up for that purpose, and hence needed to concentrate more on STEM courses to enable the country reap the full benefit.
“The ratio of humanities to that of STEM or TVET should increase higher and higher and I believe that would be a vehicle to which Ghana can reach a point beyond aid,” she stated.
Mrs Twum-Ampofo, who represented the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, made these statements during the 19th Congregation of the Koforidua Technical University (KTU) in Koforidua.
2, 241 students who have passed for awards of Degrees and Diplomas qualification in 2022 academic year graduated during the ceremony themed “The Role of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Products in Value Addition to Ghana’s Economic Growth and Development.”
Mrs Twum-Ampofo indicated that for the country to go beyond aid, there was the need to equip students with skills in STEM and TVET to enable them engage in industrialization that would turn around the fortunes of the country in recent times where technology has far advanced.
By that, she indicated that the country would achieve economic growth and development to make Ghana robust beyond aid.
She reiterated that technical universities ensure that students were trained in more of STEM/TVET courses and less in humanities to achieve the country’s objectives on STEM education.
For his part, the Vice Chancellor of the KTU, Professor David Kofi Essumang stated the need for Science and Mathematics education to be strengthened at the Senior High Level of education.
According to him, greater efforts to give priority to STEM education in the Senior High Schools level would help to feed the technical universities with the necessary human resources to appropriately carry out their mandate.
“Technical Universities in Ghana are mandated by the Universities Act, 2016 (Act 922) to equip students with technical skills required for industry and with this mandate, technical universities are expected to focus on engineering, science, vocational and technical-oriented programmes with little or no concentration on Business and Humanities,” he explained.
He said for the country to attain economic growth and development, there was the need to ensure that the mandate of the technical universities was achieved to enable the country have the needed manpower to fuel the expected economic growth.
Speaking on the challenges of the University, he revealed that it faced infrastructural challenges, adding that lecture halls, students and residential accommodation for staff were inadequate.
“There is only one hostel on our campus and this is woefully inadequate. The 448-bed GET Fund student hostel is inadequate for the teeming students,” he said.
He stated that it has become a major challenge facing the university and called on government and philanthropists to come to their aid.
Congratulating the grandaunts, he encouraged them to uphold the core values of innovation, integrity and impact imbibed in them to enable them to be successful in life
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has taken note of public allegations of extortion and related conduct made against the Minority Leader of Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
The allegations were made by the Chief Executive of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi.
In a brief statement, the OSP said it has also received a joint petition submitted by two persons, as well as two separate petitions from other persons, in relation to the same allegations.
“Given the nature of the allegations, the OSP will assess the case and determine whether it falls within its statutory mandate and whether further investigative action is warranted,” the statement said.
The development comes amid a heated public feud between the Minority in Parliament and the leadership of GoldBod over the operations of the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme.
The Minority, led by Afenyo-Markin, has accused GoldBod and the Bank of Ghana of causing a loss of over $1.7 billion, citing the International Monetary Fund’s August 2026 report. The Minority has vowed to pursue the matter as Parliament has reconvened for an emergency sitting.
GoldBod, on the other hand, has rejected claims by some NPP MPs, including Tano South MP Dr Gideon Boako, that it owes the Bank of Ghana GH¢1 billion in overdrafts, describing the claim as “false and malicious.”
In the latest twist, GoldBod CEO Sammy Gyamfi has accused the Minority Leader of extortion and related conduct, an allegation that has triggered petitions to the OSP.
The OSP is mandated under Act 959 to investigate and prosecute specific cases of alleged or suspected corruption and corruption-related offences involving public officers and politically exposed persons.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, has filed his nomination to contest the position of General Secretary again as the party begins its rebuilding efforts ahead of the 2028 general elections.
He was accompanied by party stalwarts and supporters who were in high spirits, expressing confidence that he is the right person to hold the position.
Speaking after filing his nomination, Mr Kodua Frimpong assured the rank and file of the party that he would not disappoint them.
“I can assure you that the faith the rank and file of the party have had in me, I will never disappoint them,” he said.
He also pledged to run a clean campaign devoid of personal attacks.
“I can assure you that our internal campaign will be devoid of personal attacks,” he told his fellow contestants and the rank and file of the party as he seeks to retain his position.
His tenure has seen the party through the 2024 general elections, where the NPP lost power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after eight years in government.
The party is currently in a rebuilding phase, with internal elections scheduled to elect new national executives to lead its reorganization towards the 2028 polls.
The General Secretary position is considered one of the most influential in the party’s administrative structure, responsible for the day-to-day running of the party secretariat and implementation of party decisions.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
