Takoradi Technical University and COA Research and Manufacturing Company, a plant research institution, have signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate in areas of research and student development.

The MoU seeks to ensure students and staff Mentorship, Promotion and Coordination of Joint Research, Students’ Industrial Attachment, Promotion of Plant medicine in Western Region as well as establishment of Research Centres at COA and TTU.

To kick start the relationship between the two entities, the Vice Chancellor of Takoradi Technical University, Prof. Rev. John Frank Eshun on behalf of TTU and the Chief Executive of COA Research and Manufacturing, Prof. Samuel Ato Duncan on his part at a short ceremony signed the terms and conditions guiding the MoU at TTU.

As a show of goodwill to the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding, the Chief Executive of COA Research and Manufacturing, Prof. Samuel Ato Duncan, in addition to other expectations of the MoU announced that COA has adopted the GHACEM Hall, a female hall of residence at TTU, where it will renovate and also provide scholarship for 10 students with disabilities for the next five years, subject to reviews.

“With COA, we are not only into plant research, I think research is broad, so I believe that this collaboration is going to bring a lot to the university because we are going to produce products. Jointly, we can produce something, commercialize and earn some income for the institution because we would also want to support institutions to grow. Aside that, we are also going to adapt the GHACEM Hall and the disability unit with mediate effect. What we would do for the first year is to sponsor at least ten students with disabilities and we believe that we would be able to expand when we move along till the time we would be able to say that we are sponsoring everyone with a disability“, he said.

Prof. Duncan who congratulated the TTU Vice Chancellor and some of his management team on their retention in office for another term said COA through research has been able to advance study into HIV/AIDS cure therefore happy to collaborate with TTU on other fronts of research through the MoU.

“I went in to find what could enter the cells and kill HIV so that we would be able to have a cure for HIV. As part of that research, I have been able to develop an injection that can smoke viruses from their hideouts into the bloodstream and be cleared with an intravenous injection all being organic products…You have no idea what we have been able to do as far as research is concerned. Now research is the work of the academia and the institutions that have been established. When I met with TTU, I was extremely happy because whatever we are doing at COA RMCL is something new. Even with the machines we use are machines we ask the manufacturers to give us, with specific machine because we don’t have an already built machine that we can go and buy for the kind of job we are doing. Well, what we do is try to get active ingredients from the plant and leave the residue and the residue we also use it for gas and also we use them for organic fertilizers, so it is something broad that we are trying to do. Now this is a Technical University that can provide us with serious technology in terms of machinery and many more. I believe that by the time your term ends in office, we would have seen a lot of changes in what this collaboration would bring to this university and COA RMCL”, he added.

The Vice Chancellor of Takoradi Technical University, Rev. Prof. John Frank Eshun on his part while grateful to COA’s support and interest to work with TTU, said any collaboration with industry sits very well with TTU’s objective to train industry relevant professionals to support Ghana’s industrialization aspiration.

“Our mandate requires that we establish a relationship with industry, through student/staff exchange with industry to see how best we can also develop business models out of our relationship. So on behalf of the Council, we would like to thank you very much for this opportunity. As we discuss in our last meeting, as a Technical University, we want to change our way of delivery. We want to emphasize on innovation, industrialization, and communication. So this is the opportunity for us to be able to demonstrate that we can come out with innovative ideas and then also move them to commercialization. So as a university, we would want to champion this MoU to bear fruits. At the end of my term I should see a product and a business coming out of this relationship. Thank you very much and we would make sure we won’t disappoint you“, he assured.

The 5-year MOU which starts from 2023 to 2028 shall be subject to renewal after reviews and upgrading to meet the needs and aspirations of both parties.

By the terms of the MoU, COA Research and Manufacturing Company shall among other responsibilities make their businesses open to ensure TTU students can have practical skills in the various sectors of their operations and update the University on recruitment needs and requirements.

TTU shall however provide Training and Capacity Development for staff of COA in Health and Safety, Mechanical, Instrumentation, Electrical, Processing and Production. The University shall also provide research and consultancy services for COA, support in the recruitment of talents in all the areas of TTU boundaries, set up COA products at the University’s health facility pharmacy, give an honour of recognition for an outstanding role in the industry and on Takoradi Technical University.

Present at the MoU signing were the members of the TTU Executive Committee.