The Deputy National Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kamal-Deen Abdulai, has criticised the ongoing political debate over the proposed reversal of university names, describing it as unnecessary and unproductive.

He said disputes between the NPP and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) over which political figures universities should be named after do little to advance higher education in Ghana.

Kamal-Deen’s comments follow statements by Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga, who revealed that the Cabinet has directed a reversal of university names changed under the Akufo-Addo administration. The move is expected to restore the original names of several public universities, sparking mixed political reactions.

Speaking on the AM Show, Kamal-Deen emphasised that the focus should be on educational development rather than political symbolism.
“We’re looking for advancement. We’re looking for infrastructure for those institutions. We’re looking at moving forward."

“This idea of ‘I’m going to rename because someone did this’ and ‘I’m also going to rename because someone did that’ is neither here nor there. It’s not helping us. It is so petty, and we should spare the country this," he said.

He added that both the NPP and NDC are guilty of politicising national assets and urged leaders to prioritise policies that enhance teaching, research, and student welfare.

Citizens, he said, should expect reforms that strengthen universities rather than symbolic changes to their identities.

The debate is expected to continue in the coming weeks as the Cabinet directive moves toward implementation and stakeholders, including university councils and alumni groups, weigh in.