The Minister of Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu has officially inaugurated the Governing Council the University of Media, Arts and Communication (UniMAC) in a high-profile, but solemn ceremony. The inauguration was held at the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) Auditorium, marking a decisive step in the UniMAC’s governance and strategic direction.
The event, attended by key figures from across Ghana’s tertiary education sector, brought together newly appointed Council Members of several universities, each sworn into office by the Minister of Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, on behalf of the President of the Republic, H.E. John Dramani Mahama.
Speaking during the swearing-in, Hon. Iddrisu underscored the weight of the responsibility entrusted to the Council Members. “The President has due regard to your various expertise and standing in academia and has entrusted you with the mandate to help him reset the institutions you are going to head. It is my expectation that you will make the President proud and make your institutions, centres of excellence.” He stated.
He also led all gathered at the auditorium to observe a minute silence to the eight (8) gallant souls who lost their lives in the helicopter crash, whilst serving mother Ghana.
The Governing Council for UniMAC is Chaired by Prof. Wilberforce Sefakor Dzisah, a former Rector of the erstwhile Ghana Institute of Journalism and Professor of Communications at GIMPA. Other members on the Council are the Vice-Chancellor of UniMAC, Prof. Eric Opoku Mensah, the Rectors of UniMAC’s three Constituent Institutes: Prof. Samuel Manasseh Yirenkyi (Institute of Film and Television); Prof. Christiana Hammond (Institute of Journalism); and Prof. Cecilia Addei (Institute of Languages). The Council also has government nominees in the persons of Prof. Ago Kwashi McGranaky Quaye and Mrs. Patience E. A. Dogbey. Other representatives from the alumni, students, and respective unions are Mr. Astus Akwasi Ahiable (Alumni representative) Dr. Lawrencia Agyepong (UTAG Representative), Mr. Enerst Akpakli (SRC representative), Mr. Evans Appiah (GRASSAG representative), and Mr. Daniel Kweku Obo Manuel (SSA-UoG representative).
In his acceptance remarks, the Chair of Council, Prof. Dzisah, expressed deep gratitude to the President for the appointment and pledged to steer the Council with decisiveness and foresight. He stated that, “on behalf of my colleagues, I want to assure you that we will lead with integrity, transparency and vision. “UniMAC is a unique University, one that sits at the intersection of creativity, technology, culture and information. In a time when truth is often contested, when digital disruption redefines our ways of living, and when cultural narratives shape national identity, our university holds the key to preparing the next generation of storytellers, journalists, artists, policy thinkers and innovators.” He added.
Prof. Dzisah also stated that, “as part of the President’s reset agenda, we call on all, to put your shoulders to the wheel to build a university that embodies the spirit of Ghana – bold, creative, resilient, and progressive.” He further used the platform to make a special appeal for the establishment of a dedicated UniMAC hostel, a pressing need following the merger that brought the Constituent Institutes under one umbrella.
With the Council now fully constituted, UniMAC is on a trajectory to advance its mission of becoming a leading Centre of Excellence in media, arts, and communication education in Ghana and beyond. The ceremony closed with a renewed sense of purpose and a reminder that governance is not just a statutory requirement but a driver of institutional transformation.
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Drafted by Makida El Husseini
Level 400 Broadcast Journalism Student