ANU President Urges Government to Focus on Training Skilled Workers for National Development

The President of All Nations University (ANU), Rev. Dr. Samuel Donkor, has called on the government to shift its focus from creating more traditional universities to supporting institutions that train skilled professionals needed for national development.

He made this appeal during a visit by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education to the university’s campus in Koforidua, in the Eastern Region. The visit, led by the committee chairman and MP for Akatsi North, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, aimed to understand the challenges faced by the university.

Rev. Dr. Donkor argued that what Ghana needs now are well-trained graduates who can contribute meaningfully to national development, not more general universities. He also recommended that both private and public universities be governed by a common law and policy to ensure fairness and accountability across the board.

He criticised the current system, where public universities are allowed to admit large numbers of students, run satellite campuses across the country, and offer long-distance learning for profit — sometimes without maintaining high academic standards.

The ANU President also asked the government to provide financial support to help the university continue its space and science-related programmes, which he said benefit not only Ghana but also the whole of Africa.

He revealed that the university had invested over \$500,000 to train young Ghanaians in Space Sub-Systems Engineering, leading to the development of GhanaSat1, the country’s first satellite. Despite the global recognition this achievement brought to Ghana, he said the government and parliament have offered little support to the team behind it.

Rev. Dr. Donkor also highlighted that ANU’s Space Systems Technology Laboratory (SSTL) hosts a NASA-sponsored AERONET instrument, which collects important atmospheric data in Koforidua. This data helps researchers study climate and environmental conditions.

He said ANU is working with other African countries to build a new African satellite, but the project cannot continue without government support to fulfil Ghana’s part.

He stressed that ANU is not trying to compete with public universities but is helping meet the growing demand for higher education. He added that solving the university’s challenges wouldn’t be a favour, but rather an investment in Ghana’s future workforce and scientific progress.

Committee Chairman Peter Nortsu-Kotoe acknowledged ANU’s contributions to scientific research and development, and said the government would consider providing support to help the university continue its work.