Governments in Nigeria and throughout African continent should take accountability for creating an enabling surroundings for companies relatively 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 adjustments and create financial alternatives, governments should present secure establishments, high quality infrastructure and related training 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 talents to determine issues, devise options and create worth, relatively 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 harassed, nonetheless, that “encouraging graduates to turn out to be modern and entrepreneurial mustn’t absolve governments of their accountability 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 folks should proceed studying, adapting to alter and creating worth.
He mentioned the altering international economic system required graduates to mix human judgement, creativity and integrity with the clever use of know-how.
“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 referred to as on governments, monetary establishments, universities and the non-public sector to enhance entry to reasonably priced finance, infrastructure and markets for younger entrepreneurs.
He warned that encouraging enterprise with out offering the mandatory help would depart younger folks 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 may move examinations by integrating entrepreneurship, digital expertise, innovation and demanding pondering 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 international locations shared historic, industrial and cultural ties that would help stronger financial cooperation.
He urged their universities, companies and younger folks to deepen collaboration and pursue alternatives throughout nationwide borders, stressing that Africa would advance quicker by 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 pupil 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, data know-how 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 out to be job creators relatively than job seekers.
However, he recognized insufficient infrastructure as a serious problem and appealed for help to develop further pupil lodging, a library complicated, a 1,000-capacity lecture theatre and different amenities.
Addressing the graduating college students, Mahama urged them to make use of their training to construct companies, strengthen establishments, develop options and create alternatives for his or her communities.
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