Okyenhene Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin has called on Ghana’s tertiary institutions to prioritise entrepreneurship and innovation to produce graduates capable of creating jobs and driving economic transformation.
He said universities must move beyond producing degree holders and instead equip students with the skills needed to become innovators, ethical leaders and employers.
The Okyenhene made the call at the investiture ceremony of the new Vice-Chancellor of Garden City University, Professor Eric Kwasi Ofori, and the university’s 18th Congregation in Kumasi.
The event brought together heads of educational institutions, traditional leaders, industry players, students and other stakeholders.
Addressing the gathering, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin said Ghana’s future depends largely on its ability to nurture young people who can establish businesses and create employment opportunities.
“We have to create positivity for young people to start their own businesses. The future of Ghana depends largely on our ability to produce graduates who are not merely degree holders but critical thinkers, innovators and ethical leaders and job creators,” he said.
“Education remains the most sustainable investment any society can make. Educational advancement is the development of our people and our foundation.”
The Okyenhene acknowledged the challenges confronting entrepreneurship in Ghana but maintained that sustained investment in quality education and relevant skills training remains critical to national development.
Professor Eric Kwasi Ofori, who was formally inducted into office as Vice-Chancellor, pledged to provide transformational leadership anchored on service, innovation and institutional growth.
“I accept this office not as a position of privilege but as a covenant of service, stewardship and transformation. Today is an investiture of a vision for a stronger, bolder and more purposeful Garden City University,” he said.
The new Vice-Chancellor, however, expressed concern about increasing competition within Ghana’s tertiary education sector, particularly the expansion of fee-paying programmes by public universities, which he said has intensified pressure on private institutions.
“Public universities have expanded aggressively into fee-paying parallel programmes, placing private institutions under considerable pressure. Resource constraints are real, especially for universities operating without government subventions,” he said.
Despite the challenges, Professor Ofori said Garden City University remained committed to delivering quality education and adapting to the evolving higher education landscape.
“The institutions that will lead Africa’s higher education are not necessarily the largest; they are the most adaptable, most innovative and purposeful in their service to students, and I believe Garden City University is positioned to do that,” he added.
As part of his vision for the university, Professor Ofori announced plans to implement a 10-year environmentally sustainable infrastructure development and maintenance strategy to support campus expansion, modernisation and long-term institutional growth.
He also unveiled plans to expand the university’s academic programmes with specialised health courses, including the Graduate Entry Medical Programme (GEMP), Graduate Entry Dental Programme (GEDP), Ophthalmic Dispensing Technology, Doctor of Optometry, PhD Nursing, PhD Midwifery, Geriatric Nursing and Home Care Nursing.
According to him, the programmes are intended to help address Ghana’s growing demand for specialised healthcare professionals while strengthening the university’s contribution to national development.
“My vision is anchored on the theme: an entrepreneurial Garden City University for quality and inclusive tertiary education, infrastructure advancement, internationalisation and self-motivation,” Professor Ofori said.
The ceremony concluded with goodwill messages from heads of institutions and invited guests, who pledged their support for the new Vice-Chancellor as he assumes office.
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