University of Ghana and Toyota Ghana Limited Sign MOU for A $1 Million Ultra-Modern Training Centre for Engineering Science Students

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ebenezer Oduro Owusu and  Mr. Takuya Kajiura, Managing Director of Toyota Ghana exchanging the  MOU

The University of Ghana and Toyota Ghana Limited have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to provide a US$1,000,000 ultramodern training Centre and a multi-purpose workshop among others to train engineering students of University of Ghana at a short ceremony. The total package which would include the supply of equipment, a bus and scholarships to the students is worth over US$3 million to be disbursed over a 10 year period.

In brief remarks during the ceremony, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ebenezer Oduro Owusu, who signed on behalf of the University noted that this was the first time in the history of the University to receive such a major investment from industry. He said the partnership was coming at a right time because not only has the university introduced the Experiential Learning and Industrial Attachment into its curriculum in order to beef up students’ practical experience, but also at a time when the President of the Republic of Ghana is beginning to link the calibre of graduates churned out from our institutions to the growth and development of our nation. He acknowledged that even though the University of Ghana School Of Engineering is relatively youngest in the country, the School is taking giant strides. He expressed University of Ghana’s gratitude to Toyota Ghana for the generous offer adding that University of Ghana is committed to developing partnerships with industry and will approach this MOU with all sincerity to sustain the relationship with Toyota Ghana.

 

Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ebenezer Oduro Owusu, and Mr. Takuya Kajiura, Managing Director

of Toyota Ghana, signing the MOU

In his speech, Mr. Takuya Kajiura, Managing Director of Toyota Ghana, who signed on behalf of Toyota Ghana mentioned that over the years Toyota Ghana had been engaging engineering students on industrial attachment, national service and as permanent staff and realized that though the students come in with very good grades, they mostly lacked the practical knowledge of what they learnt theoretically. It was against this backdrop that the company decided to collaborate and partner with the University in order to contribute toward giving the students the requisite practical training for national development. He assured that the facility is expected to be completed within two (2) years of signing the definitive agreement.  Giving details of the package, he said in addition to the training centre, Toyota Ghana would provide a Toyota-branded Coaster bus worth US$90,000 to facilitate students’ mobility from UG to the facility after its construction, equip the facility with tools and equipment worth US$2 million over a 10-year period and award scholarships to needy but outstanding students to complete their education.

In a brief comment, the Ambassador of Japan to Ghana, His Excellency Kaoru Yoshimura noted that the Japanese private sector is endowed with huge assets from which Ghana can benefit immensely and this partnership is in the right direction. He acknowledged UG as an excellent partner to be chosen for the partnership and expressed hope that the partnership would contribute in no small way to diversify the Ghanaian economy.

In a speech read on his behalf, the Minister for Trade and Industry, Honourable Alan Kyerematen reiterated the fact that the current government industrial transformation agenda has vehicle assembly as a major part of the development of strategic anchor industries in Ghana the others being iron, steel, integrated aluminium and petro-chemical industries.

The Provost of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, Prof. Daniel Asiedu assured that the College is very keen on such partnerships with industry and would therefore endeavour to put in place the needed structures to accelerate and sustain the partnership.

Giving a brief background to the partnership, the Dean of the School of Engineering Sciences said it begun with a discussion last year on how Japan sponsor students to the University  after which the School proposed to Toyota Ghana the possibility of Toyota Ghana giving UG students in practical industrial training thus the partnership is an attempt to bridge the gap between academia and industry and added that as part of the package from Toyota Ghana, faculty will have a computer aided design room. He also hinted that the School of Engineering Sciences is set to roll out programmes in Mechanical Engineering beginning the 2017/ 2018 academic year.

The ceremony was witnessed by the Registrar, Mrs. Mercy Haizel Ashia, Director of Public Affairs, Mrs. Stella A. Amoa, Head of the Office of Legal Counsel, Mrs. Akyaa Afreh Arhin, The Assistant Registrar of the School of Engineering Sciences, Ms. Jennifer Amponsah, The Legal Officer, Mr Yaw Awua Amponsah and a team from Toyota Ghana Limited and the Japanese Embassy in Ghana.

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.

 

A group picture of officials after the ceremony