Accra: Mr Haruna Iddrisu has tasked the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) with adopting mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of Internally Generated Funds (IGF) of public universities. He highlighted that some universities report financial shortages despite having sufficient funds in their accounts, which could be allocated to other development projects within the institutions.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr Iddrisu made these remarks during the commissioning of a refurbished auditorium at GTEC in Accra. The auditorium has been named in honor of Dr Paul Effah, the former Executive Secretary of the National Council for Tertiary Education. Additionally, other halls were named after notable figures including Nikoi Kotey, Kwame Dattey, and Ahmed Jinapor.
Mr Iddrisu praised the past leadership of the Commission for their regulatory efforts in enhancing tertiary education. He instructed the management of GTEC to create a blueprint for technical institutions across regions, aiming to boost access to higher education with a focus on employability. Expressing concerns about industry complaints regarding the skills of new graduates, he called for collaboration between academia and industry to bridge these gaps, emphasizing that university training should align with the country's manpower needs.
He also noted that the government is counting on GTEC to provide data on Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) to fulfill their commitment to offering free tertiary education, ensuring inclusivity. In the 2025 budget statement, the government resolved funding challenges by uncapping the GETFund, dedicating funds for the complete financing of free secondary and tertiary education for PWDs.
Dr Effah, in response, expressed gratitude to the government and GTEC management for the recognition, noting that the Commission has advanced through various development phases during his tenure, maintaining its relevance due to the contributions of its pioneers in improving tertiary education in Ghana.