Wiawso College of Education is State-Owned, Not Anglican Property – GTEC

The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has reaffirmed that Wiawso College of Education is a state-owned public tertiary institution, moving to settle longstanding disputes over its ownership and governance.

This follows a high-level stakeholder engagement held on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at the offices of GTEC in Accra.

The engagement was convened to address concerns regarding the status and ownership of the College and controversies surrounding the appointment of a new Principal.

A key outcome of the meeting was the reaffirmation of the statutory character of the College as a public institution, while acknowledging the historical role of the Anglican Church in its establishment and its contribution to the moral and spiritual life of the institution, as well as the support of the Sefwi Wiawso Traditional Council, particularly in relation to land.

According to GTEC, stakeholders agreed to move away from competing claims of exclusive ownership and towards a shared understanding of the respective contributions of Government, the Church and the community.

The meeting also resolved that the historical association with the Anglican Church should not be used to exclude qualified persons from leadership positions on the basis of religious affiliation.

It recommended that the Church should continue to play a role in the College alongside the Traditional Council and other stakeholders.

On the proposed establishment of a university for the Western North Region, which was also discussed, the Director-General of GTEC indicated his willingness to support the initiative in consultation with the Minister for Education, provided the Anglican Church and the Traditional Council continue to coexist harmoniously.

The meeting was chaired by the Director-General of GTEC, Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, and brought together representatives of the Anglican Church led by the Archbishop of the Internal Province of Ghana, Archbishop Cyril Ben Smith, the Principal of the College, Prof. Emmanuel Carsamer, and the Chairman of the College Council.

Also present were representatives of the Sefwi Wiawso Traditional Council – Nana Kwabena Amoako, Nana Kwasi Gyabeng II and Nana Elloo Panyion IV – as well as community stakeholders including Lt. Col Anthony Aduhene (Rtd), former Minister Dr. Kwaku Afriyie and the Member of Parliament for Sefwi Wiawso, Hon. Kofi Benteh.

Click to read more: https://opemsuo.com/author/hajara-fuseini/