Mahama Dangles GH¢100M for Technical Universities

…but Budget Reality Looms

By Philip Antoh

President John Dramani Mahama has announced a GH¢100 million allocation for Ghana’s 10 technical universities, funds he promised will be included in the 2027 budget presented later this year by Finance Minister Dr. Ato Forson. The announcement, made at the opening of the 2026 Applied Research Conference of Technical Universities of Ghana (ARCTUG 2026) at Takoradi Technical University, immediately triggered relief among academic stakeholders. But the fine print suggests the cheer should be measured.

Under the proposal, each institution will receive GH¢10 million in what the President calls “seed funding” sourced from the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund). The stated purpose is to strengthen Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) infrastructure, research, and innovation.

However, the release of these funds—slated for a budget that remains at least a year away—raises more questions than answers. Observers will be watching to see if the administration can secure parliamentary approval for the reallocation from GETFund without cannibalizing the budget for basic education, which is typically the political priority for the Fund’s resources.

In a rather self-congratulatory political twist, President Mahama used the platform to celebrate the 10th anniversary of a key policy he championed during his previous tenure: the conversion of Ghana’s polytechnics into technical universities. He was quick to credit Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, who served as Education Minister at the time, noting that the move was carried out “despite opposition from many naysayers.”

Mahama’s framing of the investment is ambitious, linking the GH¢100 million to an overarching strategy of industrial transformation. “Countries that are succeeding economically are those that have successfully connected education to industry, research to production, and innovation to enterprise,” he told the attendees, adding that modern economies are driven less by natural resources and more by skills and technology.

Yet, for those monitoring Ghana’s persistent fiscal challenges, the gap between rhetoric and reality remains wide. While GH¢10 million per university offers much-needed capital, it is unlikely to cover the substantial backlog of infrastructure deficits, equipment upgrades, and the appointment of qualified instructors needed to turn TVET into a genuine engine for growth.

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu offered assurances that the ministry is working to ensure adequate funding for the sector, while the Chairman of the Vice Chancellors of Technical Universities of Ghana, Prof. Kwadwo Adinkrah-Appiah, and Takoradi Technical University’s Vice Chancellor, Rev. Prof. John Frank Eshun, were on hand to echo the need for stronger industry-academia partnerships.

The crux of the matter, however, lies in the execution. The 2027 budget, which Finance Minister Dr. Ato Forson will read later this year, is the ultimate test of whether this generous pledge will survive the inevitable battle over scarce national resources. For now, the technical universities have a promise in hand. Next year will reveal if that promise turns into cash.