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Private Universities urged to stay relevant
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Private Universities need to focus on relevance, agility and excellence to ensure that their institutions adapt and succeed in the educational sector, Professor Ato Essuman, Dean, School of Research and Graduate Studies and Professional development, Methodist University Ghana (MUG), has said.
Prof Essuman made the remark when he delivered a public lecture organised by the MUG on the topic, “Ghana’s Private Universities in Crises: Were They Founded as a Necessary Risk or a Public Relation Gimmick? Time to Rethink.”
The Dean said whether they were seeking solutions to global conflict, or developing their understanding of literature, they must be relevant and be willing to engage with society to show how that was the case.
He said Universities had traditionally been slow to respond to external influences; ‘slow but sure’ has often been the motive but the pace of externally driven change would surely only increase.
Prof Essuman said excellence in the development of knowledge and inspiration of learners was critical for all, such that Private Universities could not prosper if they were not good at what they do.
He said to survive in the education field, Private Universities must become more ‘business-like’, while at the same time focus on what they were good at and emphasise the very things that make them different.
Prof Essuman said few Private Tertiary Institutions pay attention to planning to enable leadership to give strategic direction to the institution.
“Out of 15 institutions sampled, only four had strategic plans which had not lapsed and only two out of the four whose plan had not lapsed, got serious with its implementation and monitoring,” he noted.
He said many acknowledged their importance but were demotivated by the inadequate resources to fund it.
According to him, the strategic plan helped the organisation to be proactive rather than reactive, instilled a shared sense of responsibility and increased operational efficiency among leadership.
The Dean said the lack of it presented chaos due to the ad hoc nature of decision-making and actions based only on leadership experience, discretion and indiscretion.
He said it was important for Private Universities to focus on soft skills in the curriculum and align their educational offerings with in-demand skills.
The Dean said the hard skills that were in demand change frequently in the rapidly changing world, but soft skills, including critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, negotiation skills, interpersonal skills, and leadership skills could prove to be invaluable in the eyes of employers.
Prof Essuman said thatuniversities must ensure that what they offered to students was relevant to the industry.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has directed all aspirants campaigning in the Greater Accra Region to suspend their campaign activities on August 5 and 6 and instead mobilise supporters for the party’s planned “Democracy Under Attack” demonstration.
The directive was issued by the party’s National Steering Committee in a statement signed by the NPP General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, on Tuesday.
According to the statement, the decision forms part of efforts to ensure a strong turnout for the demonstration, which is scheduled for Thursday, August 6, 2026.
The party said the protest would begin at 5:00 a.m., with participants expected to gather at the Supreme Court in Accra.
It further directed Regional, Constituency and Polling Station Executives in Greater Accra to work closely to mobilise members and supporters for the event.
“The National Steering Committee is calling on all aspirants currently campaigning across the Greater Accra Region to temporarily suspend their campaign activities on the 5th and 6th of August and join in mobilising support for the upcoming demonstration,” the statement noted.
The NPP appealed to party members and supporters to remain peaceful, disciplined and orderly throughout the protest.
The demonstration forms part of the party’s response to concerns it has raised over issues relating to Ghana’s democratic governance and the justice system.
The NPP leadership expressed confidence that party members would cooperate fully to ensure a successful and peaceful event.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has commissioned an expanded dialysis unit at the Upper West Regional Hospital in Wa to improve access to kidney treatment for people in northern Ghana.
The project, estimated to cost about GH¢4 million, was undertaken in partnership with Sustainable Health Education and Interventions Limited (SHEILD), the Upper West Parliamentary Caucus, the Ministry of Health, the Ghana Health Service and other development partners.
The new facility was inaugurated on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, in Wa. It adds six dialysis machines, supporting equipment and staff training to strengthen renal care services at the hospital.
According to the Parliamentary Service, the expansion is expected to reduce the burden on patients with chronic kidney disease who previously travelled long distances to Accra, Kumasi and other major cities for dialysis treatment.
Commissioning the facility, Mr Bagbin described the project as an important investment in healthcare equity and social justice.
He noted that many families in the Upper West Region struggle to access specialist kidney care because of distance and cost.
“The people of the Upper West deserve to live with dignity. We deserve access to quality healthcare,” he stated, adding that the facility would bring treatment closer to patients and their families.
He commended SHEILD and the other partners for supporting the project and called for continued collaboration to improve specialist healthcare services across the country.
Board Director of SHEILD, Dr Sylvie Anie, indicated that the organisation remained committed to addressing critical healthcare gaps through sustainable interventions.
She explained that the expanded dialysis unit represented hope for patients who had struggled for years to obtain specialised kidney treatment.
Another Board Director of SHEILD, Dr John Nkrumah Mills, stressed that sustainable healthcare required investment in people, systems, partnerships and continuous capacity building.
He noted that the project demonstrated what could be achieved when institutions worked together to improve patient care.
Medical Director of the Upper West Regional Hospital, Dr Philip K. K. Baabiineh, stated that the expanded unit would significantly improve the hospital’s ability to provide comprehensive renal care.
He observed that many patients previously had limited treatment options and often travelled under difficult conditions to receive dialysis.
The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, described the project as consistent with government’s efforts to expand specialist healthcare services and reduce regional disparities in access to treatment.
He encouraged stronger partnerships between government, private organisations, development partners and healthcare institutions to address the growing burden of non-communicable diseases.
The Parliamentary Service stated that chronic kidney disease was becoming a major public health challenge in Ghana, driven by increasing cases of hypertension, diabetes, obesity and late diagnosis.
It noted that access to dialysis services remained uneven, with most treatment centres concentrated in Accra and Kumasi, while many patients in northern Ghana faced high transport costs and long waiting times.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by government officials, traditional leaders, Members of Parliament, healthcare professionals, development partners, civil society organisations and community representatives.
By: Jacob Aggrey
