CENTRAL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOLDS 8TH CONGREGATION

Saturday, 31st October 2009

The Central University College (CUC) an initiative by the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) held its 8^th Congregation at its permanent campus at Miotso, near Dawhwenya in the Greater Accra Region, on Saturday, 31^st October 2009.

Addressing the graduates, the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, reiterated that there was the need for all political parties to review various technical options of the educational reforms and propose the way forward for the country.

This he said would enable the parties to evolve a consensual roadmap for the irregular and dysfunctional crisis in the educational reform.

“The mode of instruction in schools should be capable of instilling in students a ‘23^rd century mentality’ empowering them to pursue the undiscovered”, he noted. 

Mr. Mahama intimated that the challenges confronting the educational sector, especially, the issue of equity required concerted efforts of both the government and the citizenry to deal with.

Touching on the discovery of the gas and oil in the country, Vice president Mahama noted that there would be demand for qualified personnel thereby providing avenue for employment for graduates.

 He pledged the government’s support to promote local employment in the oil and gas industry as well as other sectors of the economy.  He therefore called on the university to design programmes that would be responsive to the needs of the economy.

Mr. Mahama commended Dr. Mensa Anamua Otabil, chancellor of the university and General Overseer of ICGC; for his contribution to the upliftment of morality in society and his drive to raise responsible leaders to administer the affairs of the country. He urged him to continue to give ‘hope’ to our generation.

On his part, the President of the CUC, Professor Victor Gadzekpo, stated that the college was focusing on applied sciences such as Nursing, Pharmacy and Physician Assistantship in view of their potential benefits to the nation.

He noted that the emphasis on female empowerment through education was yielding positive results adding that the 2009 graduating class now has a 60 percent female enrolment as compared to that of the previous years. 

The Executive Chairman of Databank, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta; who was the Guest of Honour for the occasion; noted that Ghana’s educational system must enable its products to develop “critical thinking” for them to become the ‘Spirit of the future’, adding that through such an effort, the next generation of students can emerge as transformational leaders to enhance the human resource capacity in the country.

The Chairperson of the Board of Regents of the University, Dr. Joyce Rosalind Aryee, charged the graduates to develop new work ethics that would put them fully prepared for the job market.

She urged them to put the knowledge that they have acquired at the service of society and contribute to make Ghana a ‘winning’ nation. “You must decide to transform your environment into the paradise you want to live in”, she added.

The Chancellor of the College, Rev. Dr. Mensa Otabil congratulated the graduates for successfully completing their programmes. He charged them to be responsible leaders and wished them God’s guidance in all their endeavours.

This year’s congregation witnessed approximately 1500 students graduating in various disciplines with 41 coming out with first class honours.