By Kodjo Adams
Accra, Aug. 31, GNA – Mr Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum, Minister-Designate for Labour, Employment and Job Creation, has urged Valley View University graduates to turn societal challenges into opportunities by using their education to solve problems, create jobs, improve productivity, and drive development
He urged the graduates to identify problems within their communities and transform them into viable business opportunities.
Mr Agyekum encouraged them to ask themselves what services were lacking, what could be done faster, better or more cheaply, and what skills they possessed that could be transformed into services.
The Minister-Designate gave the advice on Sunday at the 34th graduation ceremony of the University in Accra, where about 700 students graduated from its main campus at Oyibi.
A total of 237 students had earlier graduated from the Kumasi Campus, while 219 graduated from the Techiman Campus, bringing the total number of graduates to 1,156, comprising students who pursued degree and PhD programmes.
The ceremony was held on the theme: “Grounded in Excellence and Integrity, Commissioned to Serve.”
Mr Agyekum urged the graduates to move beyond seeking employment and embrace entrepreneurship and innovation as means of creating jobs and contributing to Ghana’s economic development.
He said Ghana’s unemployment challenge presented an opportunity for young people to become entrepreneurs and develop solutions to problems confronting society.
“You have to employ people. Don’t let them employ you,” he told the graduates, urging them to aspire not only to secure jobs but also to create employment for others.
Mr Agyekum noted that Ghana’s youth population represented both a challenge and an opportunity, citing Ghana Statistical Service figures indicating that people aged 15 to 35 constituted 36.9 per cent of the country’s population.
He encouraged the graduates to recognise that academic qualifications alone would not guarantee success in the modern labour market.
The Minister-Designate said employers increasingly required people with specialised skills, technological competence, adaptability and the ability to solve problems.
Using nursing as an example, he said there was strong international demand for nurses, but graduates could improve their prospects by acquiring specialised skills and additional competencies, including foreign languages.
“Your CV may get you into a room, but your value will determine whether you stay there,” he said.
Mr Agyekum underscored the importance of excellence, integrity and service, which he described as essential elements of a graduate’s professional “signature.”
He said excellence was not about perfection but taking responsibility seriously, preparing adequately, meeting deadlines, arriving on time and consistently producing quality work.
He said integrity was equally important because while professional skills might open doors, integrity determined whether people could be trusted.
Mr Agyekum cautioned the graduates against compromising their reputation for quick success by concealing mistakes, misusing resources or taking credit for other people’s work.
Professor Daniel Ganu, the Vice-Chancellor of Valley View University, announced that the University was pursuing the introduction of new academic programmes, including law, cybersecurity, allied health sciences and engineering.
He appealed to the Government to broaden initiatives such as the No-Fees-Stress Policy to cover eligible students pursuing tertiary education in private universities.
Mr Emmanuel Fosu, Class President of the 2026 graduating class, pledged the graduates commitment to making the best of their career development while remaining grounded in the values of the University.
He commended the faculty and parents for their leadership and dedication to the formation and transformation of the graduates in their respective careers.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
Caption: Pictures attached.
Reporter: Kodjo Adams – [email protected]