The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has advised graduates to venture into entrepreneurship although there are employment opportunities still exist in the public sector.
He encouraged the graduates to endeavor to develop their own businesses to enable them to build a sound future for themselves and also contribute to the development of the country.
Dr. Bawumia gave the advice in a speech read on his behalf by a Deputy Minister of Education, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, at the 13th congregation of the University of Mines And Technology (UMaT) in Tarkwa on Saturday November 20, 2021.
While saying the public sector would not shut its doors to graduates, the Vice-President said it was important for them to know that there was much to gain from setting up their own businesses.
“Not only are you expected to be working in the public sector; you are equally expected to be drivers of the private sector. Some of you should start planning to begin your own businesses with knowledge gained from the training you have received, and possibly employ others,” he said.
The role of the new graduates in the private sector, he said, would be instrumental to the growth of the country, and reminded them that as fresh graduates, they should know that grades and academic scores might not matter after school.
“You should develop such positive traits as hard work, honesty, dedication, trustworthiness and humility,” he told them.
He further told them that as they stepped out into the world of work, they should take advantage of all opportunities that would come their way and position themselves to be relevant to society.
As a government, he said, “we have absolute confidence in the current leadership of the university to spur the needed efforts for the development of the university”.
Dr Bawumia said aside from the UMaT’s immense contribution to Mining, Petroleum and related engineering education in the country, the university had lived up to its core mandate of training mining engineers for Ghana and the world at large.
He said it was heartwarming that UMaT graduates served in various distinguished capacities in the mining and allied industries all over the world.
He said it was heartwarming that the university was promoting sustainable artisanal and small-scale mining through various engagements with stakeholders, especially small-scale miners, which would help protect the environment and water bodies.
The government, he said, was in support of such moves because they presented a direct link to the President’s vision on the fight against illegal mining in the country.
