Though the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) commenced in 2012, it still lacks basic and modern amenities to improve effective operations of the school, Professor Harrison Kwame Dapaah, the Vice-Chancellor (VC) has said.

Speaking at the fourth graduation ceremony of the institution in Sunyani, the VC said lack of lecture halls complexes for each of its campuses, halls of residence for students, modern administration block and offices for staff and laboratories with modern equipment impeded effective operations and rapid development of the institution.

He said in an attempt to solve some of the problems, the paramount Chief of Dormaa Traditional Area, Osaagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, offered his hotel for use by the University as the Dormaa-Ahenkro campus due to the uncompleted facilities being funded by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund).

The premises he said could no more contain the increasing number of students and would have to move out of the place this September, which would greatly affect academic activities.

Prof. Dapaah appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who was the special guest of honour for the occasion to intervene to save URNR from its plight and hoped that Management’s request for financial clearance to recruit more staff, especially for the faculties would also be granted soon.

He reiterated the institution’s appeal submitted during the Governing Council’s courtesy call on the President Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House to endow the University with seed money of Gh¢50 million and additional grant of Gh¢10 million for the next 10 years to enable the University to meet the high cost of running a multi-campus system and also implement a 10-year strategic plan (2016-2026).

Prof Dapaah announced that the University had initiated a number of linkages and collaborations with other institutions and organisations to propel the achievement of institutional goals.

He noted that during the 2018/2019 academic year, UENR entered into an Memorandum of Understanding with the Kansas State University, United States of America (USA) in exchange of scholars and scientists to conduct research of mutual interest.

Meanwhile, 1,113 graduands that composed of 885 males, representing 79.5 per cent and 228 females, signifying 20.5 per cent were awarded four-year bachelors’ degrees and two-year diplomas after completing various programmes pertaining to the 38 undergraduate programmes bun by all the seven schools of the University.

In addition, 30 postgraduate students including one international student from the Republic of Chad in Central Africa were also graduated in the areas of Natural Resources, Planning, Mathematics and Environmental Engineering.