Totota Ghana Company Limited (TGCL), dealers in automobiles, has handed over a $1million engineering sciences training centre to the University of Ghana in Accra.
The centre, which occupies six acres of land, is located at the Haatso end of the university, behind the Great Hall.
The establishment of the centre is in fulfilment of a partnership deal signed between the university and the automobile company in 2016.
The company also donated a 33-seater Toyota Coaster bus to the university to be used for transporting students to and from the centre.
In addition, the company will provide engineering equipment worth $2 million over a period of 10 years and administer a $100,000 scholarship fund within the same period to support brilliant, financially challenged students.
The handover ceremony was attended by the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum; the Chairperson of the University of Ghana Council, Justice Sophia A. B. Akuffo (retd); the Vice-Chancellor of U-G, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, and the Chairman of UG Chaplaincy Board, Prof. Charles Ackah.
The rest were the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Hisanobu Mochizuki; the Managing Director of Toyota Ghana, Kohji Yanaka, and the Chief Director of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Patrick Nimoh.
Facilities
The centre is equipped with a computer aided design (CAD) room, which houses 40 computers, a three-dimensional (3D) printing machine for the production of small parts designed by students for hands-on experience.
It also houses three spacious lecture rooms capable of accommodating 250 students, with each room equipped with state-of-the-art furniture and audio-visual systems.
Other facilities include a library, an engineering laboratory, an in-house practical training workshop with automobile simulators, test rigs and vehicle hydraulic lifts.
Partnership
Mr Yanaka said the partnership with the university was to nurture talent, encourage innovation and support the development of a skilled workforce capable of driving the nation forward.
“At Toyota Ghana, we believe that our responsibility extends beyond the realm of business.
We are dedicated to being a socially responsible company by executing impactful projects in the areas of health, education, environment and road safety within the communities we operate,” he said.
Mr Yanaka expressed hope that the facility would serve as a catalyst for positive change by equipping students with the necessary skills and knowledge for growth.
Significance
The Vice-Chancellor of U-G, Prof. Amfo, said the centre would play a significant role in shaping the future of engineering education not only in the university, but the entire country.
“This project supports my vision to create a culture that promotes research, teaching and learning, and administrative processes and extension activities driven by technology anchored in humanism,” she said.
Prof. Amfo further described the partnership as a shining example of how institutions could work together to nurture the next generation of transformational leaders and problem solvers.
She added that the centre would serve as a model for future collaborations between academia and industry.
Commendation
The Japanese ambassador commended the management and staff of Toyota Ghana and the university for their commitment in ensuring the completion of the project.
“Through the aspirations and efforts of these two institutions, we have seen that there can be absolute synergy between industry and academia for common growth,” Mr Mochizuki said.
He reiterated Japan’s dedication to the development of Ghana, saying “we are prepared to continue our collaboration through various institutions to support the progress of all sectors of the Ghanaian economy.”
