Speaker of Parliament Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin has praised the resilience of the University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS), describing the institution as a “winner” despite years of severe infrastructure challenges.

He assured the university of imminent seed funding and support for the establishment of a medical school.

Addressing the second congregation of UBIDS, Speaker Bagbin acknowledged the university’s difficult beginnings and current infrastructural deficit, but said its survival and growth reflected remarkable determination by management, staff and students.

“The genesis of the university’s infrastructure deficiencies is that it was plucked off its mother, the University for Development Studies’ breast, without provision for substitute baby milk. Instead, the then toothless baby university was fed roasted bambara beans, and yet we expected it to survive,” he said.

He noted that the institution had endured years of operating with inadequate facilities, including shortages of lecture halls, student hostels and a perimeter fence, but had nonetheless continued to grow into what he described as a strong and competitive academic institution.

“It is only through true tenacity that this university survived and is growing into a solid, strong, competitive and internationally recognised academic institution. I want to applaud the efforts of all of you. We all made it possible,” Speaker Bagbin told graduates, staff and guests.

The Speaker’s remarks came after the Vice Chancellor of UBIDS, Prof Emmanuel Kanchebe Derbile, outlined the institution’s pressing infrastructure needs, including the use of open spaces and temporary facilities for academic work.

Responding to the concerns, Speaker Bagbin said government support was on the way and expressed confidence that the university would soon benefit from seed money for distressed public universities.

“The Minister for Education recently announced the good news of seed money for distressed universities, and I want to assure you that yours will come sooner rather than later,” he said.

Speaker Bagbin said he was aware of the university’s urgent need for a perimeter wall to prevent encroachment and improve security, adding that government’s broader effort to complete stalled tertiary education projects should bring relief to the institution within the next two years.

“Government’s drive to complete ongoing and stalled projects provides a degree of certainty that the face of this noble institution will change in the next two years,” he stated.

He also pledged support for UBIDS’ plans to expand its academic programmes through the establishment of new schools, including a School of Law, School of Medical Sciences, School of Tourism and Hospitality, School of Health Sciences, School of Agriculture and School of Food Processing.

Speaker Bagbin said he had taken a particular interest in the proposed medical school and was already working to support the Upper West Regional Hospital to attain teaching hospital status as part of preparations for the programme.

“In my eagerness to ensure the timely establishment of the medical school, I have been assisting and equipping the Upper West Regional Hospital to qualify it for the status of a teaching hospital,” he said.

He disclosed that six brand new dialysis machines, together with supporting logistics and consumables, would be installed at the hospital this year through his intervention and with support from Members of Parliament from the region.

“As I speak to you, six brand new dialysis machines with the necessary supporting logistics and consumables will be installed this year at the hospital through my efforts and the support of Members of Parliament of this region. We acquired them using our own resources,” he said.

“I also initiated a partnership between UBIDS and the Medical University of Ajman in the United Arab Emirates, aimed at opening up a medical school to enable the university to train critical health personnel for the Upper West Region and beyond,” he added.

Mr Bagbin encouraged the university community not to lose hope despite the challenges, saying the institution had already demonstrated that it could overcome adversity.

“You are not just survivors. You are winners,” he said.