Parliament reverses Akufo-Addo era university renaming

Parliament has approved legislation removing personal honours from three public universities, reversing name changes introduced under former president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The approval was secured during Friday’s sitting on December 19, 2025, through the passage of three separate bills that restore the institutions to neutral, mandate-based names.

Under the new laws, the Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies in Wa will now operate as the University of Business and Integrated Development Studies, Wa. The C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences in Navrongo reverts to the University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Navrongo, while the Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development in Kumasi becomes the University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development, Kumasi.

The move follows a policy decision announced earlier this year by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government to undo what it describes as politically motivated renaming of public institutions under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.

Presenting the bills, the government argued that public universities should reflect national ownership and academic purpose rather than individual political legacies.

The original names honoured figures linked to the Danquah-Busia-Dombo political tradition. Simon Diedong Dombo was a founding member of the Northern People’s Party; C.K. Tedam served as a long-time chairman of the NPP Council of Elders; and Akenten Appiah-Menka was an industrialist and politician associated with the party’s ideological roots.

While members of the Minority Caucus supported the amendments as a step toward depoliticising education, the Minority NPP caucus strongly opposed the move.

Majority MPs rejected that characterisation, insisting the decision was institutional rather than personal.

The new names will take effect immediately after gazetting.

University councils and management have been directed to update official records, branding, signage, and academic documentation to reflect the changes.

During last year’s election campaign, the opposition National Democratic Congress pledged to reverse the universities and colleges of education renamed by the Akufo-Addo administration.