The Vice-Chancellor of the Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDS), Professor Emmanuel Kanchebe Derbile, welcomed Ing. Lovestone Damalie, the Upper West Regional Director of Ghana Highways Authority and his Deputy, Mr. Solomon Adjei, to his office to discuss potential collaboration on road infrastructure development. The engagement aimed to strengthen ties between the university and the authority to address road network challenges on campus and within the surrounding areas.
In his address, the Vice-Chancellor acknowledged the unique mandate of the Ghana Highway Authority and emphasised the importance of closer collaboration, particularly as the university continues to develop. He explained that the visit provided an opportunity for Management to better understand how the authority could support the university’s road network.
He noted that there had been discussions about a proposed ring road and other future road projects, but there was a lack of clarity on the details. As such, the meeting served as a platform to bridge that gap, establish a working relationship, and explore opportunities for new road construction and expansions.
“The university is finalizing its master plan, and Ghana Highways Authority’s involvement in our road network development is crucial to ensuring a well-planned infrastructure that aligns with our growth,” he stated.
The Vice-Chancellor noted that while the university experiences relatively low traffic volumes, as student admissions increase, there would be a future need for road expansion and possibly dualisation to accommodate higher speeds and prevent accidents. He also mentioned that if required, a footbridge could be considered at the design stage.
Ing. Damalie explained that the Ghana Highway Authority, as an agency under the Ministry of Roads and Highways, is responsible for planning, developing, maintaining, and administering the truck road network, and any related works, to control traffic on truck roads with the aim of providing safe and adequate infrastructure for road transportation commensurate with the economic development of Ghana, to undertake research or collaborate with any research organization with the view to facilitating its planning, development, maintenance and administrative activities, among others.
“We are committed to assisting SDD-UBIDS by offering consultancy and strategic planning to improve the university’s road infrastructure,” he noted, adding that modifications to internal road networks could enhance safety and traffic flow as student numbers increase.
He also pointed out that road infrastructure funding requires national-level approval, urging the Vice-Chancellor to engage the Ministry of Roads and Highways for future inclusion in development plans.
Professor Derbile expressed gratitude to Ing. Damalie and his Deputy for their assurance in supporting the university infrastructure road network. He assured them that the university would finalize its master plan while maintaining close collaboration with the Ghana Highway Authority, with a strong focus on sustainability to ensure long-term environmental and infrastructural resilience.