The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has inaugurated a 17-member committee to develop a framework for the establishment of 12 new public universities across Ghana, in a major push by the government to expand access to higher education.

The committee, chaired by former Education Minister, Christiana Amoako-Nuama, is expected to provide a roadmap to guide the rollout of the new institutions under the directive of President John Mahama on a request of the Vice President, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang.

Speaking at the inauguration at the Ministry, Haruna Iddrisu said the initiative forms part of the government’s broader “reset” agenda for higher education, aimed at addressing longstanding access gaps and aligning tertiary education with Ghana’s development needs.

He stressed that while expanding infrastructure remains important, the committee must ensure that the new universities are built on strong foundations of research, innovation, and relevance to industry and national manpower demands.

“This is not just about numbers. It is about creating institutions that respond to Ghana’s development priorities and produce the human capital needed for the future,” he stated.

12 New Universities Across Regions

Government has outlined a list of proposed institutions and locations to guide the committee’s work:
• A Technical University in Kintampo (Bono Region)
• A Technical University in Jasikan (Oti Region)
• A Science and Technology University in Damango (Savannah Region)
• The University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences at Bunso (Eastern Region), set to begin operations this year following parliamentary approval
• Re-establishment of Ohawu Agricultural College in the Volta Region as a constituent college of the Bunso-based university, with plans to elevate it into a full university
• A new college at Acherensua in the Ahafo Region under the same Bunso institution
• A College of Mining and Agricultural Entrepreneurship at Kenyasi No. 2, to operate under the University of Mines and Technology
• A College of Pharmacy and Biomedical Engineering in the Volta Region as part of the University of Health and Allied Sciences
• Elevation of the Agriculture College at Kwadaso in the Ashanti Region into a fully-fledged university
• Establishment of the “University of Mampong” in the Ashanti Region
• A world-class business college in the Kwahu area of the Eastern Region
• A new institution at Jomoro Aseem in the Western Region

The minister noted that the committee’s recommendations will be submitted to the President through the Vice President, after which they are expected to be considered by Cabinet and Parliament.

He added that the government remains committed to ensuring equitable distribution of higher education institutions across all regions, describing the move as critical to national development and social inclusion.

The committee is expected to rely on technical expertise and stakeholder consultations to refine the proposals and develop a sustainable implementation framework for the new universities.