The College of Engineering (CoE) of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, launched the KNUST College of Engineering Endowment Fund on Friday, 14th October, 2022 at the Alisa Hotel, Accra.
The Fund seeks to provide funding to enable the College of Engineering to become an internationally acknowledged centre of excellence in engineering education; producing high-calibre graduates with knowledge and expertise to support the industrial and socio-economic development of Ghana and Africa.
The specific objectives are to improve the quality of postgraduate programmes, expand access to postgraduate programmes, provide scholarships to attract brilliant students and improve infrastructure to support teaching and learning.
The target is to raise 50 million Ghana Cedis (GHȻ 50,000,00) within five years.
The Minister of Education, Honourable Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum speaking at the launch stated that the government is very pleased with the College of Engineering and will continue to assist the College. He urged the College to continue to work in producing critical minds for the development of Ghana and the world at large.
The Chief Executive Officer of Volta River Authority (VRA), Ing. Emmanuel Antwi Darkwah expressed how enthused he was about the Fund. ‘The establishment of the KNUST College of Engineering Endowment Fund is timely as it would support the provision of additional resources to enable the College to deliver its mandate.’ He thus encouraged all persons who have benefitted directly or indirectly from the College to contribute generously to the Fund.
The CEO on behalf of the VRA committed to annually donate to the Fund.
The Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ellis Owusu Dabo celebrated the College for achieving such great strides and coming up with the idea to establish a fund. He further called on all to support to ensure that the Endowment Fund grows to support the College, train the students, and beef up its facilities. ‘We need the skills sharpened, not just by acquiring a degree but the skills and competencies.’
He promised Management’s accountability and transparency to ensure that the purpose of the Fund is met.
Speaking at the launch, the Provost of CoE, Professor Mark Adom-Asamoah stated that the College since its establishment has grown and expanded. The College currently runs 18 Undergraduate and over 30 Postgraduate Programmes under three faculties: the Faculties of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Civil and Geo-Engineering and Mechanical and Chemical Engineering.
He added that the College has made notable strides in infrastructure, and innovations which have trained skilled workforce who are contributing their quota to the development of the nation and the world at large. The College also hosts the three World Bank Africa Centres of Excellence (ACE) for Development Impact.
Professor Kwabena Biritwum Nyarko of the Department of Civil Engineering seized the opportunity to appreciate alumni and institutions who have contributed. These include Honourable Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister for Education (GHȻ 50,000), Ing Christian Nti, CEO Ghana Highway Authority (GHȻ 50,000), Anonymous ($50,000 USD), ASIB Construction Ltd (GHȻ 60,000), Associated Consultants Limited (GHȻ 300,000), College of Engineering, KNUST (GHȻ 50,000), Ghana Institution of Engineering (GHȻ 100,000).
Others are Ghana Grid Company (GHȻ 500,000), Ghana Highway Authority (GHȻ 20,000), Ghana Electricity Company of Ghana (GHȻ 150,000), ASIB Limited (GHȻ 30,000), and Ghana National Gas Company (GHȻ 500,000).