A delegation from the College of Basic and Applied Sciences (CBAS) and the Physical Development and Municipal Services Directorate (PDMSD) yesterday went on a familiarization tour to the site for the building of an ultramodern training centre and a multi-purpose workshop for the School of Engineering Sciences and Toyota Ghana Company Limited. This follows the signing of the project partnership agreement between the University of Ghana and Toyota Ghana Company Limited in March 2019.
Excavation works had already started when the UG delegation toured the site. The 18-month project, which commenced in February this year, is aimed at enhancing students’ practical experience and strengthening the relationship between Japan and Ghana.
In brief remarks, the Dean of the School of Engineering Sciences, Prof. Boateng Onwona-Agyeman, explained how this training centre and workshop will provide students with the requisite skills as the automobile industry is undergoing major transformation. He also indicated that faculty who research on car batteries, sensors, automotive actuators and related fields will be able to test their results and extend their work to industrial application.
Mr. Kohji Yanaka, Deputy Managing Director of Toyota Ghana Limited, encouraged senior high school students interested in automobile engineering to apply to the University of Ghana to acquire real experience of servicing vehicles the ‘Toyota way’.
The entire project sits on a 6-acre piece of land. The Training School, which is a replica of a typical Toyota workshop facility, will occupy about 1.7 acres of the total land size. It will comprise a 250-capacity training lecture room, canteen, ICT Centre, office space, library and a practical training centre. The purpose of this facility is to enable students acquire inhouse training before heading to the Toyota workshop for industry training.
The Toyota Workshop, on the other hand, will have administrative offices, a workshop, a technical training area, and a washing bay. There will also be utility facilities and a 1000-capacity car park to support the two buildings as well as a walkway that links the School and Workshop to facilitate easy movement.
The project architect, Mr. Ayitey Aryee, who conducted the delegation around the site, gave the assurance that the project’s design is modelled after the University’s iconic building style with a touch of Japanese imprints.
The UG officials who were on tour included Prof. Daniel Asiedu, Provost, College of Basic and Applied Sciences; Dean of School of Engineering Sciences, Prof. Boateng Onwona-Agyeman; Mr. Emmanuel Baidoo, CBAS College Secretary; Ms. Eccles Andoh, Ag. Director, Public Affairs Directorate, and a technical group from PDMSD. Others were a team from Toyota Ghana Company Limited; project consultants; and contractors from ADK Consortium and Airu-Krane Construction Limited.
Toyota Ghana Limited is a multinational company that deals with the sale of new Toyota vehicles and spare parts, and the provision of after-sales service support.
