A consensus has been reached among the Western North Regional House of Chiefs and key stakeholders on the need to establish the proposed Western North University, following tensions over the location of the institution.
For about a week, discussions on social media have focused on where the university should be located. The debate intensified after Professor Emmanuel Casarme, the government’s liaison officer for the Western North Region, and his team visited the Aowin Traditional Council to engage the chiefs on the government’s plans and preparations for the establishment of the university.
The Aowin Traditional Council reportedly expressed concerns about the engagement and maintained that Aowin should host the university. The chiefs argued that since the creation of the Western North Region, Aowin had not benefited sufficiently from regional development and therefore believed the university should be established on Aowin land.
On Tuesday, August 18, 2026, the President of the National House of Chiefs and Omanhene of the Anhwiaso Traditional Council, Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi, convened a meeting with members of the Western North Regional House of Chiefs, Professor Emmanuel Casarme, other stakeholders and the Western North Regional Minister, Wilbert Petty Brentum, at the Regional Coordinating Council.
The meeting focused on resolving the disagreement over the location of the proposed university.
At the end of the meeting, the stakeholders agreed that the establishment of the university is a priority for the Western North Region and that the region must present a united front to support the project.
It was further agreed that the chiefs would accept the decision on the location of the university once a consensus is reached among the traditional authorities, regardless of which district is eventually selected to host the institution.
Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi explained that the chiefs, as custodians of the land, have a responsibility to determine the appropriate location. He disclosed that the Western North Regional House of Chiefs would meet in September 2026 to deliberate and reach a decision on the location of the university.
The outcome of the meeting will subsequently be communicated to Professor Emmanuel Casarme, who is expected to prepare a report for submission to the government as evidence of the region’s readiness and commitment to hosting the proposed Western North University.
The latest development is expected to ease tensions surrounding the location of the university and allow stakeholders to focus on securing the institution for the Western North Region.
