The University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) has named its newly constructed students hostel after the late Nii Amon Kotei, the renowned Ghanaian artist who designed the State’s Coat of Arms.

The gesture by UPSA is a posthumous recognition of Amon Kotei’s outstanding contribution to the nation and a move to immortalise his legacy as an illustrious national icon.

Amon Kotei, who passed away in October 2011, was a distinguished sculptor, painter, musician and surveyor.

“When it came to considering a name for this hostel, no other person’s life’s journey best fits what this hostel symbolises than Amon Kotei, a celebrated Ghanaian and an honorable son of La, and the designer of Ghana’s Coat of Arms,” the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Abednego F. O. Amartey explained at a colorful ceremony to commission the hostel on Tuesday, March 14.

“Due to his illustrious work with the Cartographical Division of the Army when he enlisted in the Royal West African Frontier Force Gold Coast as well as his exemplary work at the Gold Coast Printing Office, he was recommended by the colonial government and specially commissioned to design a Coat of Arms for the country.

“The rest, as the saying goes, is history, and we are proud to honor him today with the naming of this hostel.”

Prof Amartey thanked the faculty and staff of UPSA for their sacrifices that have made recent construction projects a reality.

He explained that the new 10-storey students’ hostel, financed through the University’s internally generated funds, will help address students’ residential needs while also promoting diversity, integration, and inclusion on campus.

“As the Vice Chancellor, I know how important it is to provide a safe shelter and environment for our students. I appreciate the fact that the provision of a holistic education goes beyond a serene lecture hall, faculty, and the provision of books.

“It is for this reason that the University has invested in infrastructural development, including this new hostel, to meet the accommodation needs of students.”

The ultra-modern hostel complex has facilities such as a recreational area, study/reading rooms, Junior Common Rooms (JCR), a laundry area, TV rooms, automated teller machines (ATM), a modern security system, CCTV cameras, an elevator, and other auxiliary amenities.

The rooms have also been fitted with individual electricity meters to prevent waste and ensure energy conservation.

The chairman of the governing council of UPSA, Dr Kofi Ohene-Konadu, thanked the President of the Republic for his personal intervention in securing the land and the necessary clearance from the appropriate ministry to pave the way for the construction of the hostel.

The commissioning and naming of the hostel was graced by some high-profile dignitaries, including the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, family members of the late Nii Amon Kotei, traditional leaders, the clergy, faculty, staff, and students of the University.