The Member of Parliament for Bantama and former Minister for Roads and Highways, Francis Asenso-Boakye, has criticised the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government over its plan to reverse the renaming of some public universities.
The Mahama-led administration has announced intentions to introduce a bill in Parliament to revert the renaming of the C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS) and other institutions.
The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, made the disclosure during the swearing-in of the Governing Council of CKT-UTAS in Accra on Monday, May 5.
Reacting to this in a social media post on Thursday, May 8, Asenso-Boakye described the move as an attempt to erase the legacy of the Akufo-Addo-led New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.
According to him, the universities were renamed to honour individuals who made significant contributions to Ghana’s development, and reversing them would be disrespectful.
“The NDC government’s plan to reverse the renaming of public universities by the Akufo-Addo administration is not only petty; it is deeply regrettable. It reflects a desperate attempt to undo the legacy of the previous government at the expense of national unity and forward progress.
“These institutions were named after distinguished Ghanaians whose contributions to our nation are undeniable. To now erase that honour is not only disrespectful but also dangerously revisionist,” he wrote.
The Bantama MP urged the government to focus on addressing pressing national issues instead of engaging in what he termed as “symbolic politics.”
“Ghanaians did not vote for this government to indulge in symbolic politics. They voted for real solutions: jobs, better education, and improved infrastructure.
“This move sets a troubling precedent. If every new government undoes the actions of its predecessor, where does it end? This cycle of partisan undoing will only stall our national development,” he added.
Meanwhile, legal scholar and social commentator Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare, popularly known as Prof Kwaku Azar, has expressed support for any well-considered move to reverse the renaming of public universities.
According to him, naming universities after political figures erodes their public character and promotes partisanship rather than national identity.
Prof Azar argued that universities should instead be named based on geographical location or their academic mission, rather than after individuals—especially politicians.
