Professor (Mrs). Rita Akosua Dickson, Vice-Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has paid courtesy calls on the Obuasi Municipal Assembly (OMA) and Anglo Gold Ashanti (AGA) on Thursday, 20th August, 2020.

Professor Dickson expressed her heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to both OMA and AGA for their collective support in the wellbeing of the University. She used the opportunity to solicit for their continuous support to the University in her new administration.

Municipal Chief Executive for Obuasi, Honourable Elijah Adansi-Bonah, congratulated the Vice-Chancellor on her new appointment. He commended the long-standing relationship between KNUST and the Municipality and was hopeful that the cordial relationship would be deepened. He expressed his gratitude to KNUST for the establishment of the University’s Campus in Obuasi and was hopeful that indigenes and residents in would be motivated to study hard to gain admission into the University.

Mrs. Regina Teni Mumuni, Municipal Director of Education, said in her remarks that Obuasi has a lead in producing exceptional graduates from both basic and secondary levels of education. Therefore, the establishment of the Obuasi Campus will motivate qualified residents to pursue tertiary education.

The Vice-Chancellor thanked the Municipal Assembly for their support and reception. She said KNUST is looking forward to enrolling an increased number of first year students for the 2020/2021 Academic Year due to the envisaged large numbers of senior high school graduates for the next academic year. She added that the University plans to offer health related courses in the Obuasi Campus to attract more prospective students.

The Vice-Chancellor used the opportunity to call for the support of the Municipal Assembly and the central government to provide the Campus with a bus to ease the transportation struggles of students living far from the Campus. She expressed the need to be aided with enough accommodation and educational infrastructure to serve its students better.

At Anglo Gold Ashanti, Professor Dickson expressed her appreciation for their massive support in the establishment of the Obuasi Campus. This act, she added has been recorded in the history books of the University.

Professor Dickson emphasised her vision of making KNUST a research-intensive institution. She was hopeful that AGA could collaborate with the University in the capacity building of staff and students in the area of research. She solicited for the company’s input in curricular development of mining related courses.

Mr. Eric Asubonteng, Managing Director, AGA, was grateful for the visit. He noted that AGA as a company strongly positions itself to leave lasting impacts on the society and hence, pledged to make the relationship between KNUST and the company a strong one. He emphasised the company’s readiness to assist KNUST to achieving its vision. He noted that the company’s Social Management Plan (SMP) places all levels of education as one of its key plans and assured the continuous support of the company. He pledged to strengthen the partnership between the company and the University