Mahama regrets 12-year delay in UHAS laboratory project
President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to completing critical infrastructure projects at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), promising sustained investment to transform the institution into a leading centre of excellence for research and innovation in Africa.
Speaking after inspecting the multi-purpose laboratory project at the UHAS Sokode Campus as part of his Resetting Ghana Tour of the Volta Region, President Mahama lamented the 12-year delay in completing the project, describing it as costly and avoidable.
“I don’t really know where to start. A project that started in 2014 and we’re now in 2026 that’s 12 years. It is far beyond the period it should have been delivered. If we had finished it on time, we would have spent much less money. The cost is now probably four or five times what we originally budgeted,” he said.
Despite the delay, the President described the nearly completed laboratory complex as a major milestone for the university, noting that it would strengthen research, innovation and medical training.
He expressed particular excitement about the facility’s pathogen and vaccine research laboratory, which he said would work closely with the National Vaccine Institute to advance scientific research and improve Ghana’s preparedness against infectious diseases.
President Mahama recalled that during his previous administration, attempts to conduct vaccine trials in the Volta Region faced strong public resistance, even though similar research later contributed to the development of the Ebola vaccine.
“It is paradoxical that today we have a laboratory here dedicated to pathogen research and vaccines. I’m happy UHAS has taken up this responsibility,” he stated.
The President also acknowledged requests by the university for additional hostels, lecture theatres, a library and improved campus roads.
He assured the university community that government had restructured the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to prioritise infrastructure development and had uncapped the fund to increase available resources.
According to him, the university’s infrastructure needs would be addressed progressively over the next four to five years through annual GETFund allocations.
“We will capture these projects year by year. Every formula we do will include something important for this university. Over the next four or five years, your needs should be properly attended to,” he assured.
President Mahama said the government’s vision is to make UHAS one of the leading universities on the continent, fulfilling the dream of its founder, the late President Professor John Evans Atta Mills.
He further announced that the government would construct the university’s internal road network. He explained that with a contractor already working on the nearby Ho bypass project, the campus roads would be added to the existing contract to speed up implementation.
