GOVT SUPPORTS UMaT

Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Tarkwa
The government has pledged GHC 100 million supports for the University of Mines, Tarkwa (UMaT) to help speed infrastructural development at the school.
It has also increased the school’s yearly allocation by 85 per cent.
The President, Prof. John Evan Atta-Mills who made the pledge and announce the increment at the school’s first congregation at Tarkwa explained that the GHC100 million was separate from the GETFund allocations and would be spread over the next five years.
In all a total of 231 students made up of 31 first class, 197 BSc honors and 34 with MPhil and MSc honors in Geomantic, Mining, Geological, Mechanical, electrical and electronic engineering graduated.
He assured the university that in the coming years, the government would make other special allocations towards the school’s development through the GETFund.
The development of the UMaT, the president said was dear to the heart of government.
“We expect that the money would be used to provide infrastructure, lecture halls, laboratories and workshops to fulfill the mandate of the university, which is to provide higher education in mining and petroleum and technology.
Prof Mills said with the strategic position of the university in the Western Region for mining and new oil discovery, government had no option than to offer the needed support to enable it achieve its aim.
He said he had followed the processes by which the university became what it is today adding “From the humble beginning of a technical institute, this university, the sixth public university in the country is now the one and only Mining University in the West African Sub-region.”
He said in 2007, a special allocation was made towards the acquisition of the state of the art laboratory for the school.
“Aside these, separate allocations have been made to towards the training of faculty members of the university over the years totaling GHC489,350,” he said.
President Mills said the move was against the backdrop of an increase from 25 per cent in 2008 to 32 per cent in 2009 from the GETFund allocations for tertiary institutions.
The president congratulated the students and urged them to be good ambassadors of the school saying “I urged you to behave in as efficient engineers and work diligently.”
The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Mireku-Gyimah thanked the government for the support and appealed for support of the university.