Ghana Backs UMaT’s Ahafo Expansion with GH¢50m as Mining Education Drive Accelerates

The Ghanaian government has pledged GH¢50 million through the 2027 GETFund allocation to operationalise the newly commissioned University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) Kenyasi Campus, reinforcing its strategy to deepen access to specialised higher education while supporting skills development in the country’s mining regions.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony in Kenyasi No. 2 in the Ahafo Region, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu said the funding would finance critical infrastructure, including an administration block and student accommodation, as part of efforts to establish a fully operational campus.

The investment comes as the government seeks to strengthen Ghana’s human capital pipeline for the extractive industry and fulfil a broader commitment to establish a fully-fledged public university in the Ahafo Region before the end of President John Dramani Mahama’s current term.

“Government will allocate GH¢50 million through the 2027 GETFund formula to support the operationalisation of this campus,” Mr Iddrisu said, adding that the region would ultimately host its own public university.

The minister also addressed longstanding concerns from host communities over employment and local benefits from mining operations, urging Newmont to expand its voluntary investments in education and community development.

The commissioning follows the formal handover of infrastructure worth approximately GH¢14 million by the Newmont Ahafo Development Foundation (NADeF), which financed the campus through a decade-long partnership with the Kenyasi No. 2 community and the Asutifi North District Assembly.

The completed facilities include lecture halls, administrative offices, renovated residential buildings, office furniture, security infrastructure and a university vehicle, creating the foundation for academic operations.

NADeF Board Chairman Yaw Ofosu-Kusi described the project as one of the foundation’s flagship education investments, saying it was designed to promote long-term economic development through skills and knowledge.

Newmont Ahafo South Mine General Manager Alex Kofi Annin said the campus reflected the community’s decision to channel mining development funds into education, describing the project as a strategic investment that would expand opportunities for young people pursuing careers in mining and related technical fields.

UMaT Vice-Chancellor Professor Richard Kwesi Amankwah said the university would maintain high academic standards while using the new campus to strengthen research, innovation and industry-focused training.

The expansion underscores Ghana’s growing emphasis on aligning tertiary education with strategic sectors of the economy, particularly mining, as policymakers seek to develop a more skilled domestic workforce capable of supporting industrial growth and value addition across the extractive sector.