Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC) has commissioned a 12-unit classroom block, and handed it over to the Kumasi Technical University (KTU), at its new campus in Juansa, Ashanti Region.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Gas, Dr. Ben K. D. Asante, said the provision of the classroom block with ancillary facilities was aimed at enhancing teaching and learning.
He expressed the hope that the new school block would enable students to be adequately prepared to compete with their counterparts in other universities.
He disclosed that his outfit had carried out similar projects across the length and breadth of the country in the area of education. He reaffirmed that “GNGC will stop at nothing to help realise President Akufo-Addo’s vision of making education more comfortable and dignifying for Ghanaians.”
“The company will continue to provide assistance in the area of health, education, water and sanitation and sports within the project affected communities and the whole country. The quality of the country’s educational sector will not be compromised,” the CEO added.
Similar projects
Dr Asante said Ghana Gas had done similar projects in Wa, Bechem, Nzema, Cape Coast, Bono, Northern, Volta, Ashanti, Eastern, Western, Savanna, Ahafo and other regions. “I am pleased that, as a native of Juansa, through my leadership as the CEO of Ghana National Gas Company, I have been able to do something of this nature for Juansaman,” he indicated.
He said Ghana Gas’s mission is to be a trusted and reliable gas services company in gathering, processing, transporting and selling natural gas/liquids for both power and non-power applications.
The company’s vision, he said, has three pillars, including business development, personnel or staff development and community development.
“It is through this that the 12-unit classroom block of the Kumasi Technical University new campus in Juansa is here today, as you are seeing. I was thinking to build a Senior High School project for Juansa, but the Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North constituency, Andy Appiah-Kubi, came to me and suggested that we rather change it to a university status. This was later approved by the board of Ghana Gas,” he revealed.
The Ghana Gas CEO pledged his commitment and readiness to teach Oil and Gas at the new Juansa Campus since that is what he does as a lecturer at the KNUST.
Appreciation
The Dean of Faculty at the Entrepreneur and Enterprise Development, Dr. Charles Akomea Bonsu, who spoke on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Osei-Wusu Achiaw, was delighted, and praised the leadership of Ghana Gas for the facility.
He said the gesture could not go unnoticed, adding that the township was proud of their native for his leadership within the country and abroad. He added that “it has always been the intention of the Technical University to have many branches within the country”.
“The Academic Board and the University have all accepted that the university will have a branch in Juansa here, hence the 12-unit classroom block, a perfect fit for the University standard,” he said.
He revealed that KTU intends to offer programmes such as Diploma in Oil and Gas, Diploma in Auto-motive Engineering, Diploma in Catering and Hospitality, Diploma in Business Administration and other courses on the new Juansa campus. These new programmes, he said, would be practicable because the university had done all the necessary arrangements.
Dr. Akomea Bonsu also revealed that the university was determined to provide high-calibre skilled manpower, with reference to manufacturing, commerce, science, and technology, to act as a catalyst for technological development.
Present during the ceremony were Andy Appiah-Kubi, MP for Asante Akyem North; Kwaku Asante Boateng, MP for Asante Akyem South; Juansamanhene, among others.