Politics Over Posterity: How Mahama's Renaming Of Universities Set A Dangerous Precedent For The Honoring Of Heroes In Ghana

On December 19, 2025, Ghana's ninth parliament, under the speakership of Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, passed new legislations to rename three public universities that had been established under the Nana Addo/Bawumia administration. As a result of these legislative actions, the Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies in Wa is now the University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS), the C.K. Tedem University of Technology and Applied Sciences located in Navrongo has become the University of Technology and Applied Sciences (UTAS), and the Akenten Appiah Menkah University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED) in Kumasi, which has a satellite campus in Mampong, is now known as the University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (USTED). The change of the names of the university under the Mahama-led government was anticipated, as the NDC whiles in opposition had explicitly declared their intention to undertake such action if they prevailed in the 2024 elections. Shortly after being sworn into office, the Minister of Education, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, hinted at the realization of this electoral promise. Yet, this legislative shift has ignited a fervent dialogue among citizens, prompting critical reflection on the motivations and potential repercussions of such actions. This renaming initiative signifies a troubling precedent where political maneuvering appears to overshadow the considerate acknowledgment of legacies that should be revered. Many express concern that future retaliatory moves could prove damaging and that the action is contrary to the adage: “A nation that refuses to honor its great people is not worth dying for.”

HISTORY OF HOW THE UNIVERSITIES WERE ESTABLISHED

Prior to their elevation to autonomous institutions by the Nana Addo/Bawumia administration, these universities functioned as mere satellite campuses of established public universities in Ghana. The Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies was a satellite campus of the University for Development Studies (UDS) in Tamale, while the C.K. Tedem University of Technology and Applied Sciences operated under the umbrella of the same institution. Similarly, the Akenten Appiah Menkah University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development was a college of the University of Education, Winneba. None of these institutions possessed the authority to confer their own degrees, diplomas, or certificates; students earned credentials only from their parent universities.

There have been persistent appeals from traditional leaders in the regions where these satellite campuses are located, urging politicians to grant autonomy to these institutions. For instance, the Wa-Naa, the paramount chief of the Wala Traditional Area in the Upper West Region, repeatedly advocated for the conversion of the UDS Wa campus to an autonomous university in Wa prior to Nana Addo's presidency. Today, there are ongoing demands from the chiefs and residents of Ajumako for their campus of the University of Education, Winneba, to be recognized as a full-fledged university.

The Nana Addo/Bawumia administration, responsive to these calls and viewing education as the cornerstone of national development, submitted separate bills to Ghana's Seventh Parliament, then under the leadership of Professor Mike Ocquaye. Following their passage, the three universities were established, alongside others, including the Dr. Hilla Liman Technical University in Wa. The C.K. Tedem University was established in 2019 under Parliamentary Act C. K. Tedem University of Technology and Applied Sciences Act 2019(1000), passed on August 2nd August, 2019 and ratified by the president on August 23, 2019. The Appiah Menkah University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development emerged through Act 1026 of 2020, while the Simon Diedong Dombo University was constituted via Parliamentary Act 1001 in 2019. This process mirrors the establishment of many public universities in Ghana, such as the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), founded in 1961 by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah through an act of Parliament was converted from the Kumasi College of Technology established in 1951 by the British government and affiliated to University of London. Also, the conversion of the KNUST campus of Forest Resources Technology in Sunyani into the University of Energy and Natural Resources( UENR) in 2012 by the late president Atta Mills and that of the University College of Education, Winneba( UCEW) to University of Education, Winneba in 2004 by former president Kuffuor are classical examples.

In a similarly transformative vein, the government also conferred Presidential Charters upon 20 private university colleges, bestowing upon them the autonomy to issue their own academic credentials. Notable institutions included Ashesi University, Methodist University, Presbyterian University, Catholic University, All Nations University, and Pentecost University, with charters award . Ashesi university was granted the charter in 2018. All Nations University in Koforidua and Pentecost University in Accra received their Charters on Thursday, 28th May, 2020 and the Methodist, Presbyterian and Catholic universities had their charters in 2022. On Thursday, 19th December, 2024, 14 private universities were given presidential charters in Jubilee House. That means those universities were now given the autonomy to award their own certificates, degrees and diplomas.

REASONS FOR NAMING OF THE UNIVERSITIES AFTER THE PERSONALITIES

Guided by the widely accepted notion that "the greatness of a community is measured by how it treats its heroes," the Nana Addo/Bawumia administration chose to honor these personalities through the naming of the universities. This decision was an earnest effort to immortalize individuals who have significantly contributed to the development of their home regions and, by extension, to Ghana as a whole, rather than a mere reflection of political affiliations with the New Patriotic Party.

Simon Diedong Dombo and C.K. Tedem were trailblazers in Northern Ghana, advocating for constitutional safeguards and better living conditions for their region. They played pivotal roles alongside colleagues like Mumuni Bawumia, Tolon Naa Yakubu Tali, Abayifa Karbo, J.A. Braimah, Imoru Salifu, Adama Amande and others in the formation of the Northern People's Party. Their collective efforts culminated in demands made to the British government, outlining several crucial conditions for independence, such as:

1. Establishing regional autonomy for the North, allowing local executive authority for developmental initiatives that ensure equitable progress with the South.

2. Advancing educational opportunities in the North through the establishment of secondary schools, training colleges, and facilities supporting university education.

3. Promoting the recruitment of Northerners into civil and public service, thereby facilitating their integration into the broader governance structure.

4. Ensuring that Northerners are not relegated to menial roles but are positioned as active contributors to an Independent Gold Coast.

These visionary leaders collaborated with the Northern Territories Council to send a delegation to London to pursue a substantial £30 million development grant from the British government, and also in securing constitutional safeguards for the Gold Coast's independence. Their relentless pursuit of progress led to the inception of the Special Northern Scholarship Scheme, allowing aspiring students without prior secondary education access to further studies in Tamale Secondary School at the Central government’s expense. Those who benefitted from the scheme included Professor J. S. Nabila, John Bawa, Seidu Hamidu, Abu Juam and many others. In addition, Northern students were allowed free boarding in all secondary schools, training colleges and higher institutions situated in the North.

The legacy of these early Northern politicians is indelibly etched in Ghana's developmental history, manifesting in institutions like Secondary Schools and a suite of healthcare facilities across the region. C.K. Tedem's dedication to uplifting education in Northern Ghana was evident in his pivotal role in advocating a free feeding policy for public senior high school students from the North. Likewise, S.D. Dombo's distinguished career included being the first Member of Parliament for the Jirapa-Lambussie constituency, and he became the first Northerner appointed as Minister of the Interior and Minister of Health. Concurrently, Mr. Appiah Menkah emerged as a notable entrepreneur, fostering job opportunities for the youth of Ghana.

REASONS FOR THE RENAMING OF THE UNIVERSITIES BY THE MAHAMA- LED ADMINISTRATION

The recent renaming action by the Mahama-led administration raises significant concerns regarding its political motivations. The decision to strip the names of SD Dombo, Appiah Menkah, and C.K. Tedem—individuals affiliated with the United Party (UP) tradition, which birthed the New Patriotic Party—has drawn scrutiny. Notably, the retention of the name for the Dr. Hilla Liman Technical University while altering the designations of the three others illustrates an evident political bias.

This maneuver suggests that President Mahama and his administration perceive the maintenance of these names as an endorsement of their political rivals. Such actions have ominously set a precedent for a cycle of retribution in which future administrations may feel compelled to reverse the naming decisions, opening a Pandora's box of political vendetta. Each politician honored with a name on a national edifice is likely from a party that, at some point, may find itself opposed to the sitting administration. In this complex political landscape, where legacies may be rewritten through the lens of fleeting power struggles, the implications for national unity and the honoring of true heroes may bear long-lasting consequences.

By Iddi Adam Osman
Larabanga
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