Chiefs of Asogli State in the Volta Region have cautioned the Governing Council of Ho Technical University (HTU) to abandon plans of renaming the Institution after Ghanaian musicologist, Dr. Ephraim Amu, saying such an attempt will meet stiff resistance from the Asogli State.

According to the chiefs, they opposed the renaming of the University when they got winds of it and so “shall not sit down for anyone or a group of people to undermine our authority through disrespect.”

At a press conference in Ho addressed by Chief of Ho Dome and Warlord of Asogli State, Togbe Adzie Lakle Howusu XII on Monday, the chiefs said they raised the issue when a delegation from the University led by then Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Emmanuel Sakyi called on them leading to the 50th-anniversary celebration of the University.

Togbe Howusu said the Chiefs of Asogli State followed up on March 2, 2018 to communicate their disapproval of the change of name to the Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Letsa after the delegation from HTU assured that the chiefs would have been consulted saying, “no firm decision had been taken to rename the University.”

He said the Asogli State was therefore surprised when the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo “confirmed the decision of the Council when he mentioned it in his address at HTU’S 50th anniversary celebration.

President Nana Akufo-Addo in his address at the event in August said he welcomed the decision by the Governing Council of the University to rename the institution after the great Ghanaian cultural icon, Dr. Ephraim Amu.

“It is wholly fitting that this great, modest man, composer of what easily passes for our unofficial national anthem, Yen Ara Asase Ne, should be properly honoured by a grateful posterity, and, especially, by citizens of his native Volta Region,” he said.

Nana Akufo-Addo disclosed that the decision was being considered and once parliamentary process was completed, the University would be called the Ephraim Amu Technical University, Ho.

But the Asogli Warlord said the chiefs were unhappy the University Council took such a decision “without recourse to the chiefs and people Asogli State, through whose efforts the then Ho Technical Institute was established in 1968.

He said though they recognised the achievements and contribution of Dr. Ephraim Amu to the country’s development, it was “improper to rename the University after him without due diligence and consensus building on the issue.”

The chiefs argued that there were other pressing issues bordering on transforming the University into an excellent one rather than renaming it.

“We do not understand why the Council should be bent on changing the name of the University as though that is their top priority when in fact, there are other pressing challenges facing the University which in our opinion should rather have engaged their attention.”

Togbe Howusu said the chiefs and people of Asogli insist the name should remain Ho Technical University so as not “to do anything to jeopardize the peace that we are all enjoying.”