SDD-UBIDS holds maiden graduation for 1,176 students
The Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDS) in Wa, Upper West Region, on Friday held its maiden graduation ceremony for 1,176 diploma, graduate and post graduate students.
Addressing the congregation, the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the Institution, Professor Philip Duku Osei, charged the graduands to show proof of their higher learning to the outside world by translating the knowledge acquired into tangible products for consumption by society.
The VC maintained that northern Ghana, and by extension the country, was bedeviled with varied developmental and economic challenges that required maximum thinking and innovation by graduates and people in the academia to turn fortunes around.
“Proving your higher learning will be reckoned in your ability to translate knowledge into tangible products, peace and security for the population and your ability to work in the trenches of conflict to bring peace and development to our rural and urban population,” he said.
He cited, for instance, that democracy in Africa was still at infancy, given the numerous conflicts around election and succession processes and other forms of insecurity, and said it beckoned on nations in Africa to broaden its human resource base to be able to counter the challenges.
“All these are a reflection that democratic consolidation in Africa is a project that is still in its infancy and can be better handled through affordable and adequate development of human capital, and we are hoping the university will firmly position itself to create solutions to the myriad of developmental problems, especially in the northern part of Ghana,” he expressed.
Prof. Osei, who announced the approval of a school of law at the university, commended the graduands and invited them and others to explore their new programmes for further training.
Deputy Minister of Education in charge of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Mrs Gifty Twum-Ampofo, encouraged the graduands to create a pool of knowledge that would support the business community of the country with contract-winning proposals and ideas.
“Go out there and prove to the world that you are deserving of the degrees you have been awarded, create room for excellence and avoid mediocrity; use your knowledge to identify problems and set up consultancies to enhance capacities of people in business,” she said.
She stressed that the government would continue to create the enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the face of the current economic constraints and to also boost investor confidence.
She used the opportunity to encourage other universities to form healthy relationship with TVET institutions to ensure that they worked collaboratively to promote the development of the nation.
Ms Vivian Larbi and Mr Philemon Nandongee were presented with laptops and cash awards for emerging best female and male graduating students respectively
FROM LYDIA DARLINGTON FORDJOUR, WA
