Technical Universities Encouraged to Facilitate 24-Hour Economy Implementation

Sunyani: Professor Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, the Director General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), urged Technical Universities (TUs) in the nation to contribute towards the realization of a 24-hour economy. He emphasized that the success of this initiative is closely tied to robust industrialization, which cannot be achieved without the essential role of vocational and technical education.According to Ghana News Agency, Prof. Abdulai shared these insights during an interview on the sidelines of the 49th delegates' congress of the Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG), currently taking place in Sunyani. The two-day congress, attended by Vice Chancellors from various TUs and some tutors, is focused on the theme: 'Technical University governance: Strengthening partnerships for institutional growth'.Prof. Abdulai highlighted the need for TUs to strategically position themselves and develop market and employment-oriented programs that are competency-based, hands-on, and tec hnologically driven. He assured that GTEC would expedite accreditation processes to enable TUs to produce a quality human resource base that would propel the industrialization drive in support of the 24-hour economy.He praised TUTAG for their significant contributions to advancing technical education in Ghana and expressed optimism that with the support from TUs, the government's vision of a 24-hour economy could be realized.Earlier at the event, Prof. Uriah S. Tetteh, the President of TUTAG, congratulated President John Dramani Mahama and Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang on their victory in the 2024 Election and the successful transition process. He expressed support for their leadership and urged the government to promptly establish governing councils for tertiary institutions. Prof. Tetteh warned that the absence of these councils could hinder decision-making and growth, stressing the importance of appointing visionary, business-oriented, and mission-aligned councils to create a thriving enviro nment for TUs.