The Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, has called on the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD) to take centre stage in shaping Ghana’s environmental future and leading the national response to climate change.
Speaking during the inauguration of UESD’s new governing council, the Minister challenged the institution to define its core identity by tackling critical environmental challenges such as climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, and green energy.
“The world is going green, and so must Ghana. UESD must not only teach environmental management; it must live it, research it, and shape national thinking around it,” Hon. Iddrisu stated.
He emphasized the strategic importance of UESD as a thought leader and catalyst for policy and innovation in the green transition. The new council, he noted, has a clear mandate to help the university build strong linkages with global climate organizations, private sector green businesses, and sustainability-focused academic institutions.
“In UESD, Ghana has the opportunity to build a university that speaks to the future of the planet,” he said.
As one of the country’s youngest public universities, UESD is already gaining recognition in areas such as sustainable ecosystems, climate resilience, and environmental engineering. Government’s GH₵10 million seed fund to the university is expected to boost this momentum by enabling the launch of new academic programmes, expanding infrastructure, and investing in research and faculty development.
The Minister also underscored UESD’s potential to support Ghana’s environmental diplomacy and its contribution to the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. He urged the university to champion public education campaigns and community engagement activities that inspire responsible environmental stewardship.
With a focused mandate and the right strategic direction, UESD is poised to become a beacon of sustainability and a driver of Ghana’s green transition.
