The Asantehene and Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu Il, has emphasised the need for Government and stakeholders in education to create an enabling environment and entrepreneurial avenues for young university graduates to stay and work in Ghana.
The Chancellor made this call in an address to climax the 57th Congregation of the University, graced by the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. He said the current situation where energetic young Ghanaian graduates are compelled to move in multitudes to seek greener pastures abroad, posed a serious threat to the future of the country.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II said human migration was not inherently negative, but the current situation where professionals like nurses, doctors, and teachers left for promising opportunities abroad is a challenge. To this end, he noted that if this phenomenon remains unchecked, it will affect the future of Ghana, since potential leaders who should be actively contributing to the growth and development of the country are moving in multitudes to seek opportunities abroad. "We must collectively work to transform our country into a strong and compelling nation for our youth to stay and work," he said.
To achieve this, the Asantehene called on the Government and stakeholders in education to embark on innovative strategies aimed at creating enabling environment and entrepreneurial avenues to facilitate job creation and help retain young graduates. He also charged academia to lead in finding sustainable solutions to climate change.
The Vice President of the Republic Ghana, H. E. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in his address, stated that the digitisation agenda, which the Government is aggressively pursuing, is the way to go to transform the nation. He disclosed that from December this year, newborn babies would receive their National Identification Cards (Ghana cards) at birth. He emphasised Government’s commitment to improving teaching and learning, especially in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
Dr. Bawumia commended KNUST for its leadership role in science and technology education, adding that the Government would work to ensure the early completion of the University Teaching Hospital to enhance practical education and training in health.
Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson, Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, in her report, revealed that the University is graduating a total of 17,437 students this year, of which, 13,170 are undergraduates and 4,267 are post graduate students.
She assured that the University would continue to play its role to train the needed human resource in engineering, health, science, technology, and other areas to speed up the nation's development. She further urged all graduates to continuously add value to themselves at any given opportunity.
As part of the 57th Congregation Ceremony, some distinguished individuals were conferred with honorary degrees for their monumental contributions to the growth of KNUST and Ghana as a whole.
The recipients of the various honorary degrees include; Mr. Joe Anokye, DSc. Honoris Causa; Emeritus Professor kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa (Former Vice-Chancellor of KNUST), DSc. Honoris Causa; Mrs. Sophia Ashiokai Quashie-Sam (Former Registrar of KNUST), D.Lit. Honoris Causa: Ing. William Amuna, DSc. Honoris Causa; Ing. Frederick Asare-Yeboah, DSc. Honoris Causa; Mr. Ernest Akwasi Appiah, D. Litt. Honoris Causa; and Professor Peter Materu, DSc. Honoris Causa.
