The University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) will soon bear the name of the late President Professor John Evans Atta Mills, following a government decision to honour his legacy. 

This was announced by the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, during the official inauguration of the University’s fourth substantive governing council at a brief ceremony held in Accra on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.

According to the Minister, the renaming is “a posthumous honour for his contribution as a statesman, a former President of the Republic and a former academic of repute.” He explained that the government is recognising the late President Mills’ pivotal role in the establishment of the institution. “Therefore, UHAS in due course, will be known as John Evans Atta Mills University of Health and Allied Sciences,” he declared.

Iddrisu also reiterated the government’s commitment to higher education infrastructure development. He assured the University community that all ongoing projects at the Ho and Hohoe campuses, including the UHAS laboratory complex, would be completed under the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund). 

He further disclosed that the Minister for Roads had pledged to commence work on the internal roads of the University, as part of a broader initiative to improve infrastructure on public university campuses nationwide.

The newly sworn-in Council, chaired by Professor Kodzo Gavua, is tasked with steering the University through its next phase of growth. In his remarks, Professor Gavua expressed gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama, the Education Minister, and the government for entrusting them with this responsibility. He described UHAS as one of the enduring legacies of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration and vowed to work collaboratively to address the institution’s pressing challenges.

“I will like to say with confidence that we shall work as a team based on mutual trust and respect to build upon what our forebearers have left, to ensure that UHAS does not only become a model university but a leading healthcare training institution in Ghana, across Africa and the world at large,” Professor Gavua said. He noted that accommodation for students and staff would be a top priority for the Council.

The 17-member Council is composed of prominent academics, professionals, and institutional representatives. Members include Professor Kodzo Gavua (Chairman), Professor Lydia Aziato (Vice Chancellor, UHAS), Professor Mark Appiah, Emeritus Professor Fred Newton Binka, Mr. Selorm Dey Esq., Dr. Kenneth Tachi, and Daniel Nii Noi Ashong, CA.

Also on the Council are Dr. Edmund Nibeneeh Aalangdong (Representative of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission), Mr. Charles Evans Apreku (Representative of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools), Professor Peter Adatara (Representative of Convocation, Professorial), and Mr. Israel Tordzro Agudze (Representative of Convocation, Non-Professorial).

Representatives from within the University’s own community include Mr. Gabriel Agbanyo (UHAS Alumni Association), Mr. Jeffery Nii Otu Larkai (Senior Staff Association), Dr. Felix Kwasi Nyande (University Teachers Association of Ghana - UTAG), Mr. Felix Dolla Dimado (Graduate Students Association of Ghana - GRASAG), and Mr. Sefah Michael Debrah (Students’ Representative Council - SRC). The Registrar, Ms. Yaa Amankwaa Opuni, serves as Secretary to the Council.

The inauguration of the new Council comes at a critical time in the University’s development as it continues to assert its status as Ghana’s only state university exclusively dedicated to healthcare professional training, with a growing reputation for impactful research and community engagement.