President John Dramani Mahama has appealed to the rectors of the various polytechnics around the country that have been converted into technical universities to stick to their primary mandate of training students in technical and vocational courses.

According to him, these are the areas the polytechnics need to train students, hence the decision to convert them into technical universities.

Speaking to students of the Koforidua Polytechnic on Friday October 28 as part of his tour of the Eastern Region, Mr Mahama said: “Today’s interaction is one that will focus mainly on the changing structure of our nation’s economy and what it requires in terms of human resources.”

“I will begin by congratulating the rector of this university. I never fail to get impressed when I come on your campus with the kind of enthusiasm that the students display and also the excellence that your technical university is representing in tertiary education in Ghana. I was here a few months ago and I promised you that we were going to submit the bill on the conversion of our polytechnics into technical universities to parliament for approval. We have since done so, the bill has been approved, and I am happy to inform you that I have granted a presidential assent to the bill.

“So, currently nothing legal stands in your way in using your new name and your designation – the Koforidua University of Technology and Entrepreneurial Management. And let me congratulate you in your process of conversion. When the panel was set up to assess the polytechnic for conversion, the then Koforidua Polytechnic achieved one of the highest scores. You hit 30 out of the 60 points that were considered and I am sure if it was an exam, as a lecturer, I would have given you a B .

“It is my hope that you will stick to the core mandate and I am very assured by the rector that this university is going to stick to its core mandate and give emphasis to training in technical and the vocational courses.”