Governments in Nigeria and throughout African continent should take duty for creating an enabling surroundings for companies moderately than shifting the burden of unemployment to younger graduates, President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana has mentioned.
Mahama mentioned whereas graduates should adapt to technological modifications and create financial alternatives, governments should present steady establishments, high quality infrastructure and related schooling to allow enterprises to thrive.
He spoke on the maiden convocation of the University of Offa in Kwara State.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, the president mentioned the graduating college students have been getting into a interval of extraordinary change.
He mentioned Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital applied sciences and local weather change have been reshaping professions, markets and financial planning the world over.
Mahama urged the graduates to develop the abilities to establish issues, devise options and create worth, moderately than rely solely on certificates to safe paid employment.
“My first message to the graduating class is simple: Your certificate is a foundation. It is not a finish line,” he mentioned.
He pressured, nonetheless, that “encouraging graduates to turn into modern and entrepreneurial shouldn’t absolve governments of their duty to sort out unemployment.
“Governments have a responsibility to create an enabling environment in which enterprises can flourish.”
The president mentioned governments should present the mandatory situations for companies to develop and generate first rate jobs, whereas younger individuals should proceed studying, adapting to vary and creating worth.
He mentioned the altering world economic system required graduates to mix human judgement, creativity and integrity with the clever use of expertise.
“Do not fear technology. Learn to use it responsibly and intelligently. The future will favour those who combine human judgement, creativity and integrity with the intelligent use of technology,” he mentioned.
Mahama additionally urged the graduates to look past Nigeria for enterprise alternatives, citing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as an avenue for constructing enterprises and partnerships throughout the continent.
“Your market is not only Offa, Kwara or Nigeria, it’s Africa and beyond. Go and build businesses. Build institutions. Build solutions. Build bridges between people and ideas. Create opportunities. Serve your communities. Lead with integrity,” he mentioned.
He known as on governments, monetary establishments, universities and the non-public sector to enhance entry to inexpensive finance, infrastructure and markets for younger entrepreneurs.
He warned that encouraging enterprise with out offering the mandatory assist would depart younger individuals with out the instruments to succeed.
“It will be paradoxical for us to tell young Africans to become entrepreneurs but deny them access to finance, infrastructure and opportunity,” he mentioned.
The president additionally urged universities to maneuver past producing graduates who might cross examinations by integrating entrepreneurship, digital abilities, innovation and significant considering into their programmes.
“Africa does not merely need intelligent people. It needs trustworthy people, those who honour their agreements,” he mentioned.
On the connection between Ghana and Nigeria, Mahama mentioned the 2 nations shared historic, business and cultural ties that might assist stronger financial cooperation.
He urged their universities, companies and younger individuals to deepen collaboration and pursue alternatives throughout nationwide borders, stressing that Africa would advance sooner via cooperation.
Earlier, Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kazeem Alagbe Gbolagade, mentioned the college produced eight First Class graduates out of 140 graduands.
Fifty-four graduates earned Second Class Upper levels, 76 obtained Second Class Lower levels, whereas two graduated with Third Class honours.
The college, licensed in 2021, commenced tutorial actions in 2022 with two schools and 10 programmes.
It has since expanded to 4 schools and 17 tutorial programmes, with plans to introduce Law, Theatre Arts and Public Health.
Gbolagade mentioned scholar enrolment had grown from 81 within the 2022/2023 tutorial session to 640 newly admitted college students within the 2026/2027 session.
He attributed the expansion to the establishment’s emphasis on tutorial excellence, adherence to its tutorial calendar, info expertise and entrepreneurship.
He additionally disclosed that the college was serving to college students register their companies with the Corporate Affairs Commission, with plans to introduce start-up grants for graduates to encourage them to turn into job creators moderately than job seekers.
However, he recognized insufficient infrastructure as a serious problem and appealed for assist to develop extra scholar lodging, a library complicated, a 1,000-capacity lecture theatre and different services.
Addressing the graduating college students, Mahama urged them to make use of their schooling to construct companies, strengthen establishments, develop options and create alternatives for his or her communities.
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