Terkper calls for better support for UESD

The University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD) has marked its fifth anniversary with a blend of celebration and introspection, as its council chairman, former Finance Minister, Seth Terkper, acknowledged the institution’s rapid expansion while warning that persistent infrastructure deficits are still undermining its progress

Speaking at the university’s second congregation ceremony in Somanya, Mr. Terkper said UESD had grown “from a modest beginning to a vibrant institution,” with student enrollment rising from 78 in 2020 to more than 1,330 this academic year.

New graduate programmes, an expanded staff base and a widening network of academic partnerships, he said, had strengthened the university’s standing in the fields of environmental sciences and sustainable development.

But that growth, he admitted, had come with “significant pressures.” Large numbers of students have had to live outside the campus because of stalled accommodation projects, forcing some to walk long distances to lectures.

Mr. Terkper said many community members had informally stepped in, converting commercial spaces into accommodations or opening their homes to students “at very short notice.”

“These challenges have slowed our start-up and limited our strategic momentum,” he told the gathering of graduates, families, officials and traditional leaders. “We still have critically uncompleted physical development projects preventing us from achieving our full potential.”

He referenced long-standing funding disruptions, including the diversion of funds meant for university projects, which the council has formally referred to the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC).

“We do not recount these circumstances to sour a joyful occasion,” he said, “but they are realities we must confront.

Mr. Terkper pointed to recent commitments from government as signs of movement. Two new 450-bed hostel blocks have been approved, he announced, describing them as an “initial intervention” to ease the accommodation challenges.

He also acknowledged the role of both past and current Education Ministers, particularly former minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, whose “critical assistance” he said helped the university navigate difficult periods.

UESD, established in 2015 under Act 898, was designed to serve as a centre of excellence for environmental studies and a contributor to Ghana’s pursuit of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Mr. Terkper said the university’s first five years had stayed true to that mandate, crediting faculty and staff for building “a place where knowledge meets responsibility and innovation meets environmental consciousness.”

Addressing the Class of 2025, he urged graduates to carry that ethos into their careers. “Your education is a tool for service,” he said. “Let the principles of sustainability guide your every action and decision. The world awaits your ideas, your energy and your integrity.”

Looking ahead, Mr  Terkper said the council was reviewing the university’s five-year strategic plan with a commitment to continuity rather than overhaul. “We took a cautious decision not to jettison progress under the old plan,” he said. “We will build on what has been achieved to ensure the university remains agile and impactful.”

He closed by thanking community leaders, families, faculty and government agencies for supporting the institution since its founding. Their collective efforts, he said, remained central to UESD’s vision.

“With your partnership, we will continue to strengthen governance, expand infrastructure and attract investment in research and innovation,” he said. “Our task is to nurture a university that contributes meaningfully to regional, national and international development.”

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