The Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, has announced that the government will begin releasing GH₵10 million to four distressed technical universities across Ghana next week.

The intervention is intended to address infrastructure deficits and reignite stalled development projects that have plagued the technical education sector for years.

The announcement was made in Accra during the inauguration of the newly constituted Governing Council of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR).

According to Mr. Iddrisu, many technical universities are grappling with dilapidated infrastructure, worsened by the abandonment of several GETFund-funded projects for more than a decade.

He disclosed that the government has mobilised GH₵400 million through the GETFund, with an initial disbursement of GHS10 million each earmarked for institutions in critical need.

“I have said that four institutions will benefit from ten million cedis each as seed money, but I want you to subject it to an open, transparent process to attend to your priorities, attend to your needs and use the money wisely and judiciously,” he told the Council members.

The newly sworn-in chairman of the Governing Council, Dr. Nana Agyeman Badu, assured the Minister of the Council’s full commitment to advancing the university’s development agenda. He pledged to enhance its academic and research standing.

Also, the Minister also inaugurated the Governing Council of Bolgatanga Technical University, urging the team to prioritise agriculture-focused academic programmes that directly respond to the needs of the Upper East Region.

“Try and roll out research that will help subsistence farming and also rope in the local community in the farming process,” he said.

Mr. Iddrisu later inaugurated the councils for Koforidua Technical University and the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD), challenging the latter to become a leading institution in environmental research and policy innovation.

“Therefore, we expect your institution to have the niche on matters relating to a sustainable environment. I trust in your judgment and believe in the natural research capacity that the institution can leverage on so we can use research to help Ghana in addressing the galamsey menace,” he said.

The Minister said these moves are part of broader policy reforms aimed at strengthening technical and vocational education and positioning such institutions to play a pivotal role in Ghana’s industrial and economic transformation.