President John Dramani Mahama has urged university graduates to be more creative and innovative to create jobs for themselves and others.
They should form business groups and come out with ideas to establish enterprises.
He asked that they aimed at becoming employers but not employees, when he addressed the maiden congregation of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in Sunyani.
This, he noted, was the way to go to help significantly bring down the rising unemployment.
Two hundred (200) students graduated with Bachelor of Science (BSc) degrees in Natural Resources, Renewable Energy Engineering and Electrical and Electronic Engineering.
President Mahama hinted of plans to develop the two satellite campuses of the University of Development Studies (UDS) in the Upper East and Upper West Regions into autonomous full-fledged public universities.
The goal, he said, was to increase access to tertiary education – provide opportunity for qualified senior high school (SHS) students to receive tertiary education.
President Mahama announced that GH¢ 10 million out of the GH¢ 30 million allocated to the UENR at its inception in 2012, had been released to it through the National Council for Tertiary Education.
He reminded the University of its’ vital role in the development of human resources and skills required to solve the energy and natural resources challenges of the nation and asked that it worked hard to achieve these.
He directed the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to prioritize its allocation of funds for the provision of physical infrastructure at the University to engender its growth and expansion.
Professor Mrs. Esi Awuah, the Vice Chancellor, in her report said the university, started with 154 pioneer students, now has a student population in excess of 2,600.
She said it was in urgent need of a multi-purpose auditorium and library for each of its three campuses in Sunyani, Nsoatre and Dormaa-Ahenkro.
She also called for the construction of additional lecture halls, laboratories with modern equipment for a world class science and technology University, halls of residence, offices and housing units for teaching and non-teaching staff.
Mrs. Awuah whose tenure of office ends on July 31, admonished the graduates to be agents of change in their respective communities.
Source: GNA | Ghana
