Prof. Stephen Alder cutting the sword for the building. Looking on are members of the board and Nene Sakite II (3rd left), and Togbe Afede XIV (left)

Three bodies assist Ensign College with structures

Ezekiel E. Sottieo Jul - 22 - 2019 , 07:28 2 minutes read

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with the University of Utah and ASHA Unitus Labs, is co-sponsoring a two-storey building project for the Ensign College of Public Health (ECOPH) at Kpong in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality in the Eastern Region.

The Ensign College of Public Health, affiliated to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), started five years ago as a private tertiary institution of public health.
The architect, Haknay Consult, promised to complete the project in a year.

Public health

At the sod-cutting ceremony at the site on Friday, July 19, 2019, the President of the college, Prof. Stephen Alder, said when completed the structure would help to promote the study of public health not only in the institution’s catchment area but in more beneficiary communities across the country.

Prof. Alder noted that the health of the people in every country was very important and that was why the USAID and its partners were concerned about the public health needs of the people in the communities of Lower Manya Krobo and the neighbouring communities.

He lauded the Manya Krobo Traditional authorities and the entire people for thier cooperation since the establishment of the institution in Kroboland and said that was why the Americans were reciprocating the kind gesture for co-existence.

The Konor of Manya Krobo, Nene Sakite II, said he was particularly encouraged with the development projects ongoing in the college.

Exchange programme

The Chief Global Officer of the University of Utah, Mr Chris Ireland, noted that there was a link between the University of Utah and Kpong Ensign College of Public Health and, therefore, the two institutions would continue to collaborate for mutual co-existence.

He said very soon the two institutions would start an exchange programme for students in order to trade ideas to enhance the study of public health in Ghana.

High calibre

The President of the National House of Chiefs and the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Togbe Afede XIV, who is a board member of the institution, said the college had lived up to expectation with the products that had come out so far.

The Dean, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Dr Daniel Ansong, said KNUST would collaborate with the Ensign College for the best practices in the public health.

The Chairperson of the board of governors, Mrs Lynette Gay, said the dream of the Ensign College for Kpong and Ghana would surely come to pass as the achievements so far were enough signs of good things to come in the public health sector in the country.