The Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDS) at Wa in the Upper West Region on Friday, held its maiden graduation ceremony for 1,176 diploma, graduate and postgraduate students.

Addressing the congregation, the Vice Chancellor 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 they had acquired into tangible products for consumption by society.

The Vice-Chancellor maintained that northern Ghana and the country by extension was bedevilled with varied developmental and economic challenges that required maximum thinking and innovation by graduates and people in the academia to turn the 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 in 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 their 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 for Education in charge of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Mrs Gifty Tum-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”, he said.

She stressed that government would continue to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the face of recent economic constraints to ensure businesses thrive and also boost investor confidence.

She used the opportunity to encourage universities to form healthy relationships 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 a laptop and cash awards for emerging best female and male graduating students respectively.

 FROM LYDIA DARLINGTON FORDJOUR, WA