President John Dramani Mahama has announced that Damongo, the capital of the Savannah Region, will soon host two major national projects, a Catholic Science and Technology University and a regional hospital that will double as a teaching facility.
The initiatives, according to the President, are part of his administration’s broader agenda to promote equitable access to tertiary education and quality healthcare across all regions of Ghana.
The President made the disclosure during a courtesy call at the Jubilee House by Most Reverend Philip Naameh, the Catholic Metropolitan Archbishop of Tamale.
The meeting, which centered on education and health development in northern Ghana, was attended by senior government officials, including Minister for Education Haruna Iddrisu; Joyce Bawah Mogtari, Presidential Advisor and Special Aide to the President; Elvis Afriyie Ankrah from the Office of the President; and Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, Deputy Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs.
President Mahama explained that the Catholic Science and Technology University would be supported by a grant from the Chinese government, secured through discussions with the Chinese President.
“Initial funding for the proposed university will come from the grant promised by the Chinese President,” President Mahama revealed, emphasizing that the project aligns with Ghana’s long-term development plan to make science, technology, and innovation the cornerstone of the country’s transformation.
He further noted that the regional hospital to be constructed in Damongo will not only serve the healthcare needs of residents but will also function as a teaching hospital for the new Catholic Science and Technology University.
“The regional hospital shall serve as a teaching facility for the proposed Catholic Science and Technology University, which will have a Faculty of Medical Sciences to train medical doctors and other allied health professionals”.
President John Dramani Mahama
The proposal for the university’s establishment and its location in Damongo was originally presented by Archbishop Naameh and his delegation during the meeting. They raised several issues related to educational access and social development in the northern sector, expressing concern over persistent regional inequalities.
Commendation to the Catholic Church
The President commended the Catholic Church for its leadership in education and healthcare delivery in Ghana, acknowledging that the Church’s partnership has been instrumental in the nation’s social and moral development.
President Mahama also used the opportunity to reaffirm his government’s commitment to revitalizing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
He reiterated that the new administration views technical education as a key pillar in addressing youth unemployment and equipping the next generation with employable skills.
This announcement forms part of a larger development vision the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government outlined before the 2024 general elections — a promise to build six new public universities and corresponding regional hospitals in the newly created regions: Savannah, North East, Oti, Western North, Bono East, and Ahafo.
The policy is designed to ensure that every region in Ghana has access to higher education and modern healthcare facilities, thereby bridging the developmental gap between the north and the south.
In line with that vision, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, earlier in July 2025, signed two separate Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with leading engineering and construction firms from Egypt and Morocco, Gharably Integrated Engineering Company (GEICO) and the CMS Group, respectively.
These agreements pave the way for the establishment of two additional public universities in Jasikan in the Oti Region and Kintampo in the Bono East Region.
The Education Minister explained that the signing of the MOUs reflects the government’s resolve to expand access to tertiary education and correct regional imbalances in human capital development.
Meanwhile, Minister of Health Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has hinted that preparatory works for the construction of the six new regional hospitals are already underway and will be captured in the upcoming 2026 Budget to be presented by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
The President has also disclosed that the various projects will be implemented under his administration’s ambitious “$10 Billion Big Push” infrastructure drive — a flagship policy aimed at modernizing national infrastructure while stimulating job creation and regional growth.
If completed, the Damongo Catholic Science and Technology University and its associated teaching hospital will not only expand educational and medical training opportunities in the northern regions but also deepen the role of faith-based organizations in Ghana’s development journey.
The dual projects symbolize what President Mahama has described as “a new era of balanced regional development built on inclusion, education, and innovation.”
READ ALSO: BoG Introduces Smart Supervision Tools for Banks and Fintechs
