The Institute of Education has presented a Toyota Hilux vehicle to the Directorate of Physical Development and Estate Management (DPDEM) at a short ceremony on campus.

The vehicle is to facilitate the movement of staff of DPDEM to monitor the Institute of Education Guest House project on campus as well as other projects within and outside campus.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Director of the Institute of Education, Prof. Frederick Ocansey, explained that provision was made for a vehicle in the total contract sum for the Guest House Project. He indicated that the project was initially to be constructed in Accra but later moved to campus adding that “Once there’s provision for a vehicle, we had no option than to buy it for DPDEM to carry on its duties to ensure that the contractors do the right thing on site”.                                    

On his part, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, said it was a step in the right direction for the Institute of Education to have purchase the vehicle instead of the contractor. “In the past, the contractor of such projects will buy the vehicle from the University’s own money then later donate it to us as if the contractor was doing us good,” he indicated. He commended the Director of DPDEM for ensuring that this practice has been curtailed.

Prof. Ampiah entreated DPDEM to use the vehicles for its intended purpose saying “though the Institute of Education project is almost complete but this vehicle can be used to monitor the progress of work of other projects of the University that are ongoing”. The Vice-Chancellor later presented the keys to the Toyota Hilux to the Director of DPDEM on behalf of the Institute of Education.

The Director of DPDEM, Mr. Philip Ntim, thanked the Institute of Education and the Vice-Chancellor for the vehicle and gave the assurance that it would be used for its intended purpose. He said the Directorate was in dire need of vehicle especially for staff of the Maintenance Section who were always on the ground working. “There are times that because of unavailability of vehicle, work comes to a halt just because a staff has to pick a tool or a material from the office,” he said.