Cabinet Orders Reversal of Akufo-Addo–Era University Renamings – Mahama Ayariga Reveals

The Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, told Parliament on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, that Cabinet has instructed that public universities renamed during the Akufo-Addo administration should be returned to their original names — and that a bill will be brought to Parliament to formalise the reversal.

Speaking on the floor, the Bawku Central MP said the Cabinet directive targets institutions that were renamed after individuals, and that legislation will be presented to the House to effect those changes.

“Mr Speaker, there has been a Cabinet directive to change the names of all the universities that were renamed after individuals back to the original names they were given.”

“A bill will be brought to this House to change and reverse all the name changes of the universities,” he said.

Under the previous administration several state tertiary institutions had their names changed to honour notable figures.

Examples cited include the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) in Tarkwa, which was renamed the George Grant University of Mines and Technology; the Wa campus of the University for Development Studies (UDS), changed to the Simon Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies; the Navrongo campus of UDS, renamed C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences; and Ho Technical University, which became Ephraim Amu Technical University.

Those renamings attracted criticism from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the time, which argued the exercise was politically selective. The proposed bill, Mr. Ayariga said, will restore the original institutional names if Parliament approves the measure.

Story by Adwoa S. Danso