Toyota Donates $1 Million Engineering Sciences Training Center to University of Ghana

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Toyota Ghana Company Limited (TGCL), a prominent car dealership, has officially handed over a cutting-edge Engineering Sciences Training Centre worth $1 million to the University of Ghana in Accra. Situated on a sprawling six-acre campus at the Haatso precinct of the university, adjacent to the Great Hall, this state-of-the-art facility represents the culmination of a collaborative partnership initiated in 2016 between the University of Ghana and the esteemed automobile company.

Additionally, Toyota Ghana has generously donated a 33-seater Toyota Coaster bus to the university, which will serve as transportation for students to and from the newly inaugurated training center. Furthermore, the company has committed to providing engineering equipment valued at $2 million over the course of a decade. As part of this commitment, a $100,000 scholarship fund will be established within the same time frame to support financially challenged yet exceptionally talented students in their pursuit of higher education.

The official handover ceremony was attended by notable dignitaries, including Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister of Education; Justice Sophia A. B. Akuffo (retired), Chairperson of the University of Ghana Council; Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana (U-G); and Prof. Charles Ackah, Chairman of the UG Chaplaincy Board. The event also saw the presence of Hisanobu Mochizuki, the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana; Kohji Yanaka, the Managing Director of Toyota Ghana; and Patrick Nimoh, Chief Director of the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

The Engineering Sciences Training Centre is equipped with a state-of-the-art computer-aided design (CAD) room furnished with 40 computers. It also houses a three-dimensional (3D) printing machine, enabling students to create small parts and gain practical experience in design and production. The facility comprises three spacious lecture rooms, each accommodating up to 250 students, furnished with modern furniture and advanced audio-visual systems.

Furthermore, the center features a well-stocked library, a fully-equipped engineering laboratory, and an in-house practical training workshop equipped with automobile simulators, test rigs, and vehicle hydraulic lifts.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Kohji Yanaka emphasized the importance of the partnership between Toyota Ghana and the University of Ghana in nurturing talent and fostering innovation. He highlighted the company’s commitment to executing impactful projects in various areas including health, education, environment, and road safety within the communities it operates in. Mr. Yanaka expressed confidence that the new facility would contribute to equipping students with essential skills and knowledge for personal and national growth.

Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, praised the Engineering Sciences Training Centre as a crucial asset in shaping the future of engineering education not only within the university but across the country. She envisions creating a culture that promotes research, teaching, learning, and administrative processes driven by technology and humanism. Prof. Amfo commended the partnership as an exemplary model for collaboration between academic institutions and industries in nurturing the next generation of transformational leaders and problem solvers, foreseeing the center as a blueprint for future collaborations.

The Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Hisanobu Mochizuki, commended Toyota Ghana and the University of Ghana for their unwavering commitment to the successful completion of the transformative project. He acknowledged the critical role played by the synergy between industry and academia, exemplified by these two institutions, in achieving collective growth. The ambassador reiterated Japan’s dedication to supporting Ghana’s development across various sectors, promising continued collaboration through various initiatives to advance the nation’s economy.