By:Stephen Apolima
In recent weeks, a renewed national conversation has emerged around the renaming of public universities in Ghana—an issue that touches not just educational policy but the soul of national identity itself.
At the heart of this discourse is a simple but profound principle: public universities must serve the public, not the vanity or legacy projects of transient political regimes.
Professor Kweku Ansa-Asare, popularly known as Kweku Azar, captured the essence of this debate in a thoughtful Facebook post. He argued that the naming of public universities should be rooted either in geography (University of Cape Coast), mission (University for Development Studies), or a combination of both (University of Education, Winneba). This model, he emphasized, is both principled and practical, giving rise to distinguished institutions like the University of Ghana (UG), Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), and University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR).
The rationale behind this naming convention is clear: public universities are funded by the collective efforts of citizens. They are not private estates of political figures to adorn with the names of partisan heroes. Naming a national university after a political figure, no matter how esteemed, risks alienating segments of the very public the institution was meant to serve.
Some point to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) as a counterexample. Yet, as Professor Azar clarified, KNUST was originally named by statute in 1961 and has built a strong brand over decades. It remains an exception, not a model to be blindly replicated.
Following the announcement by the Mahama administration of plans to introduce a bill in Parliament to reconsider and possibly reverse the renaming of certain public universities carried out under the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo administration, a vigorous public debate has reignited. According to Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, this move follows “extensive consultations” with academic communities, traditional rulers, alumni associations, students, and civil society organizations. Among the affected institutions is the C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS), whose name drew mixed reactions since its inception.
Branding, Clarity, and Public Trust
The public skepticism surrounding these politically motivated renamings is not unfounded. Award-winning investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni highlighted the absurdity through humor. Imagining a casual conversation between two strangers, he joked that when a gentleman said he attended the “Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development,” the lady mistook it for his research topic rather than the name of his university.
Expanding the satire, academic and leadership expert Yaw Perbi offered a deliberately convoluted name: Manasseh Azure Awuni University for Liberal Arts Education with a Particular Eye on Contextualized Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (MAAULAEPECSTEM). His exaggeration exposed a critical flaw—when university names attempt to capture every institutional objective, they become unwieldy, confusing, and even laughable.
Names are not mere labels; they are part of an institution’s brand identity. Lengthy, politically charged names dilute the gravitas of public universities, sow confusion, and ultimately harm the credibility of Ghana’s educational landscape. Universities should be timeless, transcending political seasons and standing as monuments to national aspiration and collective pride.
Power, Wisdom, and Public Interest
It is important to acknowledge that Parliament, not the President, has the legal authority to name or rename public universities. However, as Professor Azar cautions, the exercise of such power must be tempered with wisdom, restraint, and a deep regard for national cohesion.
Renaming a university is not a trivial matter. It affects branding, historical continuity, alumni pride, and international recognition. It can foster unnecessary division in a country where education should unite rather than fragment.
Moreover, when successive governments engage in tit-for-tat renaming exercises, universities risk becoming political footballs, undermining the very stability and neutrality expected of public academic institutions.
The Way Forward: A Call for Institutional Integrity
Ghana must return to a naming philosophy that places public purpose over private pride. Universities should be named to reflect their mission or geographic anchor—not to serve as memorials for politicians, no matter their contributions. If individuals must be honored, it should be through lecture halls, libraries, scholarships, and research centers, not by rebranding entire universities.
This moment presents an opportunity for national reflection. As Parliament prepares to consider the bill, the broader principle at stake is clear: our public universities belong to every Ghanaian—past, present, and future—not to the political victors of the day.
In the spirit of unity, progress, and educational excellence, let us resist the temptation to politicize our national institutions. Let us uphold a naming tradition that respects our collective identity and projects Ghana’s academic strength with dignity and pride.
