Dombo University appeals for special funding to bridge infrastructure gap

According to Management, the special funding instrument would help the institution to achieve the task government had set for it.

Prof. Emmanuel K. Derbile, Acting Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University, made the appeal on behalf of the Interim Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Phillip Duku Osei, during a visit by the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin on Tuesday.

He mentioned the lack of an administration block to house the office of the Vice-Chancellor and other supporting offices; lack of a dedicated faculty building with purpose-built lecture halls suited to their training needs; and lack of offices for departments and lecturers as some of the huge infrastructure needs of the University.

The rest are lack of a library and reading/study spaces; inadequate lecture halls; inadequate students hostels; and lack of office space for accommodating support services including police, fire service, ambulance service, university security and other critical services required by the university to support its growth.

He disclosed that the university currently had about 10 uncompleted GETFUND infrastructure projects some of which were started about 10 years ago.

He said urgent attention and completion of these projects would improve the situation while they work towards consolidating the infrastructure they required.

Prof. Derbile noted that as a new university they needed to set up new structures for growth in strategic areas, which required the recruitment of both teaching and non-teaching staff.

He disclosed, however, that the quota that they were getting for the recruitment of staff was inadequate and significantly fell short of the university’s recruitment requirements.

On some progress made by the University since 2019 when it was granted its status as a fully-fledged university, the Acting Pro-Vice-Chancellor, said they had created five more Faculties/Schools/Directorates and also appointed Deans and Directors.

These are the Faculty of Social Science and Arts; the Faculty of Public Policy and Governance; the School of Education and Life-Long Learning; the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology; and the School of Graduate Studies and Research.

Prof. Derbile said the university had also structured and expanded its programmes to include 57 various undergraduate programmes, including Diplomas; 42 various masters programmes and 13 PhD programmes.

On admissions, he said a total of 2,214 fresh students and 154 postgraduate students were admitted, bringing the total to 2,368 students.

The Acting Pro-Vice-Chancellor noted that even with the inadequate resources, there was an established potential backed by determination and resilience due to sacrifices by management, staff and students.

“But there are limits to sacrifices and the innovations that arise from it,” he noted and reiterated the need for the ‘Big Push’ through a special funding instrument.

On behalf of management, Prof. Derbile congratulated the Speaker on his election and said with his vast experience in Parliamentary business they did not doubt that his tenure would be successful.

GNA