Sunyani Technical University to resist encroachment of over 30-acre land
We would like to appeal to the government, state agencies, traditional authorities, the media, and other stakeholders, to join forces with the University to protect the University land for present and future generations,” Mr. Kyere-Duah said.
The Sunyani Technical University (STU) has served notice to illegal and potential encroachers to back off from the University’s land. Management says they will use all legitimate means to resist it.
It is estimated that over 30 acres of the University land have been encroached by private developers.
A visit to the site by JoyNews confirmed the massive development of residential apartments and churches, with some completed and occupied.
Addressing the press in Sunyani, ahead of the University’s weekly management meeting, Dickson Kyere-Duah, the public relations officer of STU, said the situation is getting out of hand, and management is warning such faceless people to desist from such illegal activities.
He averred that they have legitimate documents covering the institution’s land even as they battle some developers in court.
He also said they are collaborating with other bodies to use legitimate steps to reclaim the encroached University land without ceding any portion to individuals or organizations whatsoever.
The University, established in 1967 with less than 100 students as a technical institute, started on 166 acres of land.
Mr. Kyere-Duah explained that they currently have a student and staff population of over 7,000 with four faculties, fifteen departments, and over 50 Degree, HND, Diploma, Certificates, and professional programs on about 60 acres of developed land.
Highlighting further the nature of the university’s dwindling land, he said the Northern Electricity Department of Volta River Authority’s construction of 161KVA transmission lines across the university has taken 42 acres of the land.
And making the University worse off, the PRO said some unscrupulous people have aggressively encroached about 30 acres of the remaining land behind the pylons.
“If this alarming rate of encroachment is not curbed, there will be no land for the university to implement its 2020-2025 strategic plan and the much-touted master plan that seeks to transform the institution into a center of excellence in science, technology, innovation, technical, and vocational education”.
The management of STU anticipates an increase in student population to 20,000 by 2030.
And as part of the future expansion plans, they have secured 55 and 142 acres of land at Duayaw Nkwanta in the Ahafo Region and Amasu in the Dormaa East District of the Bono Region respectively.
Because of that, he said, “management would be deploying a series of coordinated activities to rid the lands, especially the Sunyani land, of encroaches”.
Mr. Kyere-Duah also revealed that some developers raise buildings overnight with the aim that once the building is in place, they will negotiate with the University.
He, however, warned such developers to revise their notes because “there will be no room for such compromise”.
“We would like to appeal to the government, state agencies, traditional authorities, the media, and other stakeholders, to join forces with the University to protect the University land for present and future generations,” Mr. Kyere-Duah said.
