News
Prof. Richard Kwasi Amankwa takes office as third UMAT Vice-Chancellor
Professor Richard Kwasi Amankwa, was last Friday, sworn into office as the third Vice Chancellor of University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa in the Western Region (UMaT), with a pledge to improve sustainable artisanal small- scale mining and emergency response.
“UMat will not only teach, but, also practise what it taught and requested the Minister of Land and Natural Resources to provide a mineralised land for the university to start the UMaT small scale mine.”
Before his investiture the, Chairman of the Council, Dr Steve S. Yirenkyi,led the new VC to swear the oath of office and robedhim with the VC’s robe.
Prof. Amankwa , 54, who was the Dean, Faculty of Integrated Management Science (FIMS), became a full professor in 2011.
He is a distinguished, internationally acclaimed scholar, a business-oriented academic, and had provided dedicated services for Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and UMaT.
He said: “This venture will grow to become a model mine and a centre for training artisanal and small scale miners in the -sub region with the best practices in resource optimisation and environmental sustainability.In addition to the potential financial rewards of such a venture,we will create more revenue for industrial training for our students and create employment for our gradates.”
“We can achieve these ideals and move towards becoming a centre of excellence and hence the MIT of Africa that the Chancellor charged us to do,if only we can build appropriate partnerships.”
Prof. Amankwaa indicated that his vision was to deepen scholarship, innovation and entrepreneurship in UMaT to drive sustainable industrial development in Ghana and beyond and believed that “this will not be the VCs vision, but, our vision for the next four years, so that together we can pursue the agenda with enthusiasm.”
He said, the vision, carved out of UMaT strategic plan, would be achieved through impact-oriented teaching, research and extension services, improved infrastructure, information communication and technology, enriched governance system and leadership, intensified financial resources mobilisation and management and enhanced student experience and development.
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, noted that UMaT had become an engine of growth and development producing industry oriented graduates in engineering.
He said research findings put Ghana, a nation endowed with rich minerals, in a strategic position as a global leader in mining, petroleum and allied industries.
He said: “UMaT would continue to build the mindset of students to be more entrepreneurial and create the environment where they would be able to practice what they learn.
This concept is aimed at equipping graduates of the University with the capacity to set up their businesses to be employers rather than employees.”
The President urged UMaT to team up with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, other ministries and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop skills and technologies to transform small scale mining in Ghana and help sanitise galamsey, which was connected to illegal and irresponsible mining.
The Chairman of UMaT Council, Dr Steve Yirenkyi, urged all stakeholders to join Prof .Amankwa to build UMAT so that, it could fulfill its mandate of training worldclass professionals in the field of mining petroleum, technology and related disciplines for the development of Ghana.
From Clement Adzei Boye, Tarkwa
The Ghana Tourism Development Company, GTDC, under the leadership of Prof.Kobby Mensah has launched GTDC Campus Tourism Office at the University of Ghana.
The initiative aims to promote educational and domestic tourism by providing structured campus tour experiences showcasing key heritage sites, including the Archaeology Museum and the School of Performing Arts.
It will also offer students their first travel experience across the continent and inculcate in them love to visit Ghana’s heritage sites.
Addressing the gathering at the launch yesterday, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, described tourism as a vehicle for education and heritage preservation, stressing that the sector must inspire citizens to value and protect national culture for future generations.
The minister highlighted tourism’s connection to disciplines such as history, the arts, economics and environmental science.
The minister further noted that the private sector is the engine of tourism economy, adding that the engines require fuel, which is talents.” by investing in these young people today, you are securing the quality, the innovation and competitiveness of our own industry for tomorrow.
She added that the establishment of the office represents a deliberate investment in the intellectual capital of the country.
The GTDC boss, Prof.Kobby Mensah, said,”at GTDC, we believe that if our tourism has to be sustainable, we have to promote domestic tourism and a very big part of it is getting students to appreciate tourism and helping them to organise tours.”
He added that the University of Ghana itself is a huge heritage site which must be explored.
Prof.Kobby Mensah noted that the initiative, which is one of many to be established across the country, is a joint partnership between GTDC and University of Ghana.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof.Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, said the University is a custodian of heritage which goes beyond the structures and welcomed the establishment of the first Campus Tourism Office.
She was optimistic that the office would be put to good use to achieve the intended purpose.
The launch brought together Stakeholders reaffirming their commitment to nurturing future tourism and hospitality professionals.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Ghana has officially accepted an invitation to serve as Guest Country at Burkina Faso’s 22nd National Culture Week in Bobo-Dioulasso from April 22 to May 2, 2026.
The invitation was extended by Burkina Faso’s Minister of Communication, Culture, Arts and Tourism, Gilbert Noël Ouédraogo, accompanied by the Ambassador of Burkina Faso to Ghana, H.E. David Kabré.
Receiving the delegation, Abla Dzifa Gomashie reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to deepening cultural diplomacy and strengthening historic ties between the two nations.
She noted that the festival will create opportunities for young creatives, expand exhibition platforms and promote commercial exchange within the creative sector.
The event will feature cultural performances, a community village and gastronomy fair, an arts market, literary engagements, and a craft and trade fair.
Ghana’s participation is expected to further strengthen bilateral relations between John Dramani Mahama and Ibrahim Traoré, while fostering collaboration within the creative ecosystems of both countries.
