Professor Matthew Glover Addo, the Vice-Chancellor of the Catholic University of Ghana (CUG), has appealed to the Government to make the first-year university “Stress Free” grant accessible to students of private universities.
He said private universities also ought to benefit from the grant because they equally and ultimately produce the needed human resources base required for national development.
Prof Addo made the appeal when addressing the 24th congregation and 36th matriculation ceremony of the university at its main campus at Fiapre in the Sunyani Municipality
In all 1,606 students who underwent postgraduates and undergraduates’ courses at the institution were graduated while a total of 2,169 fresh students were admitted to pursue various degree and diploma courses at the institution.
Prof Addo said private universities played an essential role in meeting the national human resource base, and called on the government to continue to support private universities by making vital resources, like books, relevant software and transport facilities available to them as well.
He called for the tarring of the institution’s internal roads on campus, provision of modern laboratories, ICT infrastructure, residential facilities, and transportation services.
Prof Addo appealed to Corporate Ghana, the university’s alumni, development partners, and philanthropists to come to their aid in tackling those challenges and to build a modern university that competed globally and served students effectively.
He said the institution was presently building a University Chapel that would provide a sacred space for staff and students to quietly reflect, pray and advance their spiritual growth and development.
“The University is 23 years old without a chapel, and that is not befitting of our Catholic identity.
The Chapel project is not just going to be a building, but a sanctuary that will foster moral and spiritual uprightness, qualities so essential in our time,” Prof Addo stated, and called for support from faith-based organizations, alumni, and individuals.
He expressed concern about the growing illegal mining activities, which threatened the environment and future, saying that the menace was destroying river bodies, forest and vegetative covers and the future of the nation.
He called for immediate, bold, and non-partisan action to stop the illegal mining practices to save the environment, saying, “We can’t sacrifice our land and our water for short-term gain.”
Prof Addo challenged the students and graduates to lead the charge in environmental advocacy and sustainable development practices.
Mr Joseph Addae Akwaboah, the Bono Regional Minister, commended the CUG for its steadfast commitment to academic excellence and moral discipline, describing the university as one of the most respected faith-based institutions playing a vital role towards building the nation’s human resource development.
He urged the graduates to concentrate on building jobs for themselves instead of over relying on formal employment, asking them to uphold the principles of integrity, compassion and excellence.
Mr Akwaboah expressed concern about the growing graduate unemployment, which threatened the economy.
Nonetheless, he added that the government was working relentlessly to create a conducive environment where skills and qualifications could find meaning in the job market.
He said the implementation of the government’s flagship 24-hour economy would expand opportunities to absorb thousands of professionals into various sectors of the economy.
Besides, the Regional Minister added that the government was actively rolling out incentive driven policies to attract private investors, and urged the graduates to embrace innovation and adaptability.
GNA
