The Chief Executive Officer of Stanbic Bank Ghana Ltd, Kwamina Asomaning, has urged graduates to be open-minded about opportunities available in the world of work due to the current turbulence the world is experiencing.
He said the country’s current condition may unsettle the graduates but asked them to be emboldened and create opportunities out of the adversities to benefit society, adding that the current situation is an opportune time also for graduates to venture into entrepreneurship with the ideas they have.
Mr. Asomaning made the remarks at the 21st Graduation and 32nd Matriculation ceremony of the Catholic University of Ghana (CUG), Fiapre – Sunyani, as the guest speaker on Saturday, October 29, 2022.
He said, “This may be the best time to experiment with the many thoughts running through your mind. Be willing to break a new mold of opportunities and ideas. This is important because the world has redefined work as no longer a place you go, but rather a thing you do”.
“This paradigm shift increases the opportunities to pursue entrepreneurial dreams across many fields. The ongoing revolution is creating opportunities for human interactions, and new business models and reshaping the way firms compete with one another”, he continued.
He reminded them of the opportunities that exist in the digital space that could help them gain proficiency in highly sought-after disciplines in areas such as coding, web and app design, data science, and artificial intelligence.
He also entreated the graduands and matriculants to seek God and trust Him to equip them with qualities such as courage, tenacity, perseverance, curiosity, consistency, and dedication they need to undertake their voyage in life.
The Vice-Chancellor of CUG, Fiapre-Sunyani, Prof Daniels Obeng-Ofori, said while the institution is positioning itself as the preferred choice for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Health Integrated Education, he noted that the University also values courses that sharpen moral consciousness of students because a “knowledge and skilled human resource without moral is a danger to society”.
He urged the students to observe volunteerism. “Seek and seize any opportunity to volunteer as it is a key component of nurturing one’s talent and developing critical relevant skills set to one’s career,” he advised.
Prof Obeng-Ofori further told the students, “The blatant disregard to time management by most Ghanaians must not be part of your journey because being conscious of time and having some respect for the schedule of others is fundamental to achieving personal and national growth, and remember that a man’s character is his or her faith”.
The University runs over 25 academic programs at the diploma, undergraduate, and graduate levels, with 7 academic facilities.
A total of 315 undergraduate and 600 postgraduate students graduated, while 973 fresh students were matriculated.
Special awards were given to deserving students from the various faculties with Gifty Saah and Mary Eke Okoro adjudged as the overall best graduating students, sponsored by Stanbic Bank Ghana Ltd.
In her valedictory speech, Gifty Saah expressed her appreciation to the Management and lecturers of the University for their roles in what they have achieved despite the challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic.
She implored her colleagues to make optimum use of the knowledge and skills acquired and be honest to project the unique qualities of CUG whereever they may find themselves.
