China Grants $30M for University in Northern Ghana

Ghana has locked in $30 million from China to build a brand new university in Damongo, a move that will bring higher education opportunities to one of the country's underserved regions. The grant agreement was signed this week between Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson and outgoing Chinese Ambassador H.E. Tong Defa.

The university will rise in the Savannah Region, an area that has historically had limited access to higher education infrastructure. Students in northern Ghana currently face long journeys and higher costs to attend universities in other parts of the country.

This funding is the second major grant China has committed to Ghana in recent weeks. The Chinese government previously agreed to finance a multipurpose market in Aflao in the Volta Region, showing sustained support for Ghana's development goals.

Dr. Forson thanked Ambassador Tong on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama and the Ghanaian people, noting that despite the ambassador's brief tenure, he helped conclude two significant agreements for the country. The Finance Minister traced the roots of Ghana-China relations back to the era of President Kwame Nkrumah and Chairman Mao, highlighting decades of partnership.

The meeting also touched on future economic cooperation between the two nations. Dr. Forson raised the possibility of conducting trade directly in Ghanaian cedis and Chinese yuan instead of relying on third-party currencies like the US dollar, which creates inefficiencies and exchange losses.

The Ripple Effect

This university will do more than educate students. It represents a commitment to regional equity, ensuring young people in northern Ghana don't have to leave home to pursue higher education.

The project will create construction jobs during the building phase and permanent academic positions once operational. Local businesses will benefit from the presence of students and staff, bringing economic activity to Damongo and surrounding communities.

Ambassador Tong expressed pride in the strengthened Ghana-China relationship and praised Ghana's improving economic performance. His comments suggest China sees Ghana as a stable partner worthy of continued investment.

A new university in Damongo means more young Ghanaians will get the education they need to build the future they want.