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A Deputy Minister of Education, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has rejected accusations that he deliberately favoured and influenced the conversion of some polytechnics into technical universities.

The Deputy Minister has been accused of smuggling in the Ho polytechnic to be converted despite not being in the original list while the Cape Coast Polytechnic has been denied.

But speaking to Citi News, Mr. Ablakwa described the allegation as a “fallacy.” 

“There are a lot of fallacies in the claims being made. If it is a matter of the politicians deciding amongst themselves which regional polytechnic will qualify, then Tamale Polytechnic would have been the first because the President is from the Northern Region but that polytechnic is not even in the list. The second would have been probably Cape Coast Polytechnic because my boss is from the Central Region,” he said.

“This is a matter that we gave to the experts, the professors to handle, those who are conversant with the technical education. They did the assessment and came out with the 16 point assessment. They only advise us and we implement based on their advice. It is not fair for me to be accused, I have not said anywhere that I will influence the process; it’s not even possible to influence the process,” he insisted.

Meanwhile, government will today [Wednesday] meet with authorities of the Cape Coast Polytechnic over claims by a youth group that government influenced a decision not to convert the school into a university.

The group, the Coalition of the Central Region Youth wants government to add the Cape Coast Polytechnic to the list of Polytechnics to be converted into technical universities.

They argue that currently there are no impediments preventing the conversion, hence their call.

Mr. Ablakwa noted that they will meet with authorities of the school and the youth group today in a move to explain the circumstances.

“We have invited them over for 11am at the Ministry of Education including the leadership of the polytechnic and the assessment committee members will also be around to explain further.”