The Wa and Navrongo campuses of the University for Development Studies (UDS) are to be made autonomous universities, president Nana Akufo-Addo has said.

“The Bill for Gazetting is currently with the Attorney General, and, once gazetted, it will be sent to Parliament for ratification,” he said.

He revealed that the Wa campus of UDS will be named as the University of Business Integrated Development Studies while the Navrongo Campus will be called University of Technology and Applied Sciences.

"So, UDS, Tamale, will remain, thereafter, the exclusive property of the Northern Region,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo assured UDS that it will receive the support of government towards addressing its needs.

One of the most important, immediate challenges, which will confront UDS and other Universities, he said, will be the dramatically increased population of students, who will be seeking admission in some two years, as a result of the Free Senior High School policy.

“I urge you, Vice Chancellor, and all heads of our tertiary institutions, to begin making adequate preparations towards this and future years. I wish to assure you of Government’s steadfast commitment to initiate policies and programmes in our Universities to enhance the capacity of graduates from our tertiary institutions to contribute to the socio-economic transformation of the country,” he added.