Gov’t Announces $25 Million Seed Funding for National Defence University

The government has announced US$25 million in seed funding to support the establishment and operations of the newly established National Defence University (NDU) in Ghana.

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu disclosed this during the inauguration of the University’s 15-member Governing Council in Accra on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama.

The University is expected to bring together existing tertiary education institutions of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) under a unified academic structure to strengthen military education, strategic leadership, research and national security policy development.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Iddrisu said the establishment of the University represented a major investment in Ghana’s defence education system and its capacity to respond to emerging security challenges.

“We are not just responding to an act of war mongering, but we’re establishing a dedicated strategic national university that will dedicate itself into awarding standardized degrees under the authority of the Ghana Armed Forces,” he said.

He explained that the University would also promote stronger cooperation between the military and civilian institutions while contributing to Ghana’s democratic development.

“It is the expectation of the President that the establishment of this university will strengthen military-civil relations for the good of Ghana’s democratic future and the consolidation of Ghana’s democratic gains,” he added.

Beyond the initial funding, the Education Minister announced that the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) would make a special allocation under its 2027 funding formula to support at least 10 faculty members to pursue PhD qualifications or attain professorial ranks.

He charged the Governing Council to develop an effective governance framework, oversee the integration of the constituent institutions and maintain high academic standards.

The Council is also expected to prepare a strategic plan to guide the University’s development and ensure that its programmes meet the demands of modern defence and security education.

Chairman of the Governing Council, Professor John Owusu Gyapong, pledged to work with members to build a credible institution that promotes academic excellence, equity and public trust.

“Our purpose is to strengthen what is already in existence and create opportunities that no single institution could realise on its own,” he said.

He stressed that the University’s success would be measured by the quality of its graduates, the relevance of its research and its contribution to national security.

Defence Minister Kenneth Gilbert Adjei also described the establishment of the University as an important investment in Ghana’s future, particularly as technological developments continue to change the nature of warfare and security threats.

He noted that modern security challenges increasingly involve military, political, economic and cyber dimensions, requiring leaders with both practical experience and advanced academic knowledge.

The establishment of the National Defence University follows more than a decade of planning, with the initial proposal attributed to retired Major General Emmanuel Wekem Kotia.

The University received a Presidential Charter on December 19, 2024, authorising it to award diplomas and degrees independently.

Parliament subsequently passed the National Defence University Bill on August 17, 2026, with President Mahama assenting to it on August 26, 2026, making it the National Defence University-Ghana Act, 2026 (Act 1176).

The University will initially operate through six accredited colleges and institutions, including the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, National College of Defence Studies, Ghana Military Academy, Training and Doctrine Command, and the Ghana Armed Forces College of Medicine and School of Anaesthesia.

The NDU is currently operating temporarily from the Command Officers’ Mess at Burma Camp in Accra, while construction continues on its main campus at Whistler Barracks in Teshie.

The University’s motto is “Knowledge, Service and Integrity.”