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President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, on Monday
charged African youths not to fear technology, instead, he said they should learn to use it responsibly and intelligently.
He also said it will be paradoxical for African leaders to tell their young citizens to become entrepreneurs but deny them access to finance, infrastructure and opportunity.
Speaking at the maiden convocation of the University of Offa, Kwara state, the president of Ghana, charged graudates of Nigerian Universities to “think beyond borders” having it at the back of their minds that the market for their products and services is beyond the shores of the nation .”
Speaking on the theme, “From Certificate to Enterprise: Africa’s graduates as architects of the continent’s economic future”, the president of Ghana , who was represented by Ghana’s High Commissioner-designate to Nigeria, Baba Sadiq Abdulai Abu, told the graduates that their degree is a license to continue learning, especially, in the era of Artificial Intelligence.
“The skills that will define the next decade are changing even as we speak. Artificial Intelligence, data science, digital commerce and new technologies will continue to reshape professions.
“Do not fear technology. Learn to use it responsibly and intelligently. The future will favour those who combine human judgement, creativity and integrity with the intelligent use of technology”, he said.
Urging the university’s graduates to think beyond borders , president Mahama, said, “think beyond borders. Think Africa – Your market is not only Offa. It is not only Kwara State. It is not even only Nigeria. Your market is Africa and beyond. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) gives your generation an opportunity to build a more integrated African market where businesses can trade, invest, and grow across borders. Build products that can travel. Develop ideas that can scale up and form partnerships across borders. The African enterprise of the future will succeed if it is built on collaboration with Nigerians, Ghanaians, Kenyans, Rwandans, Senegalese, and many others”.
He challenged African leaders to provide stable institutions, quality infrastructure, relevant education, access to finance, predictable regulation, and economies capable of generating decent work for young people.
“Ideas need capital. Businesses need affordable finance. Young innovators need patient capital. Enterprises need efficient payment systems and market access. It will be paradoxical for us to tell young Africans to become entrepreneurs but deny them access to finance, infrastructure and opportunity. We would have offered them an aspiration without the tools to realise it.
“The responsibility, therefore, belongs to all of us. Young people must bring their ideas, energy and courage. Governments, financial institutions, universities and the private sector must help create the enabling environment in which those ideas can survive, grow
and scale.
“Governments have a responsibility to create an enabling environment in which enterprises can flourish. Governments must provide stable institutions, quality infrastructure, relevant education, access to finance, predictable regulation, and economies capable of generating decent work for young people.
“We in government must accept that responsibility. At the same time, your generation must recognise that the most secure preparation for an uncertain future is the ability to keep learning, adapting and creating value”, he said.
Also speaking, the vice chancellor of the university, Professor Kazeem Alagbe Gbolagade, said the University produced eight First Class graduates among a total of 140 first degree graduates.
Professor Gbolagade said 54 graduates bagged Second Class Upper degrees, 76 got Second Class Lower degrees, and two graduates had Third Class honours.
The Vice-Chancellor said the university, which was licensed in 2021 and commenced academic activities in 2022 with two faculties and 10 programmes, had grown to four faculties and 17 academic programmes.
He listed the faculties as the Faculties of Science and Computing; Management and Social Sciences; Education; and Health Sciences.
Gbolagade said the institution was also planning to introduce Law, Theatre Arts and Public Health programmes as part of its next phase of academic expansion.
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