He said he does not want the university or any other national monument to bear his name.

“The former President has taken particular note of the plan to re-name four universities after eminent Ghanaian personalities, including the naming of the University of Development Studies (UDS) after him,” a statement from Rawlings' Office said.

“When the proposal for the naming of the UDS was first brought to the former President’s attention by the Education Minister in 2017, he thanked the President and the government for the honour, but politely declined the offer because he had a long-standing principle not to have national monuments and facilities named after him.”

Jerry John Rawlings

According to him, “in November 2015 when the then government of the day offered to name the Offshore Cape Three Points Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel after him he turned down the offer as well.”

This follows a draft bill from the Education Ministry which seeks to rename UDS after the former military leader.

UDS is among four public universities that will be renamed should the draft bill make it to Parliament and is passed.

The other public universities to be renamed are the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), University of Health and Allied Sciences and the University of Energy and Natural Resources.

The draft bill seeks to rename UPSA after the university’s own founder, Nana Opoku Ampomah.

The University of Health and Allied Sciences is also set to be renamed after former member of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Komla Agbeli Gbedemah.

Meanwhile, the University of Energy and Natural Resources would also be renamed after Ghana’s second Prime Minister, Kofi Abrefa Busia.

Rawlings said he has a long-standing principle not to have national monuments or facilities named after him.

The statement further stated that the NDC founder has written to the Education Ministry to request that the proposal to rename UDS after him be withdrawn.

“The former President has since the publication of the details of the new bill to be tabled to Parliament written to the Minister of Education to reiterate his position and kindly requested that the re-naming of UDS after him be withdrawn from the Draft Bill to be submitted to Parliament.

“The former President once again thanks the President and all those who in diverse ways are keen on recognizing his contribution to the development of Education in the country,” the statement added.