Professor Kwesi Yankah, has rebuked the National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, for making false claims about the establishment of some prominent Ghanaian universities.
In an open letter, Professor Yankah, who is a former Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Legon, and former Minister of State in charge of Tertiary Education expressed
disappointment at Gyamfi’s inaccurate assertions during a recent appearance on JoyNews. The professor categorically stated that the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), and the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) were not founded by Kwame Nkrumah.
According to Professor Yankah, the University of Ghana, originally known as the University College of Gold Coast, was established in 1948, long before Nkrumah assumed leadership. He also clarified that KNUST was founded in 1951, with Nkrumah becoming Prime Minister in 1952. The professor further emphasized that UEW is a product of the PNDC era, established in 1992.
Professor Yankah expressed surprise at Gyamfi’s confidence in making such easily verifiable claims, suggesting that even people unfamiliar with the history of these institutions could easily debunk his statements. He urged the NDC communicator to be more truthful in his public utterances, arguing that Nkrumah’s legacy speaks for itself and does not require embellishments.
The open letter has ignited a fervent debate on social media, with many Ghanaians expressing skepticism about the veracity of information disseminated by politicians to bolster their respective narratives. As the nation gears up for the upcoming elections, the Professor’s scathing critique underscores the imperative for discerning and verifying information, particularly when it originates from political adversaries aiming to undermine the government.