Accra: Dr. Clement Apaak, Deputy Minister of Education, has called upon the 2025 graduates of the Ghana Communication Technology University (GCTU) to spearhead Ghana's initiative toward establishing a greener and technologically advanced society. He emphasized their role in fostering inclusive growth and national transformation during his address at the university's 35th Congregation.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr. Apaak encouraged the graduates to utilize technology in bridging various educational, economic, and infrastructural divides within the country. He highlighted the importance of combining innovation with empathy, urging the graduates to let compassion guide their intellectual pursuits. "Think inclusively, build sustainably, and lift others as you climb," he advised.
The ceremony saw 2,121 students graduating from different disciplines, with the majority, 1,379, coming from the Faculty of Computing and Information Systems. The remaining graduates included 136 from the Faculty of Engineering, 456 from the Business School, 27 from the Institute of Continuing Distance Education, and 123 postgraduate students, including two PhDs.
Dr. Apaak reiterated the government's commitment to fostering a sustainable technological future rooted in Ghana's local context. He discussed ongoing government initiatives to enhance digital access through infrastructural development, assistive tools, teacher training, and public-private partnerships aimed at ensuring equitable access to quality education for all, particularly underserved communities, girls in STEM, and persons with disabilities.
He further urged graduates to take the lead in sectors like renewable energy, green technology, digital governance, smart agriculture, and e-waste management to propel Ghana's sustainable development agenda. "Ghana cannot import sustainability. We must invent it," he stated.
Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa, Vice-Chancellor of GCTU, detailed significant infrastructural projects reflecting the university's strategic vision for 2025 and beyond. These projects include an 8-storey lecture and office complex set for completion by December, a 6-storey Graduate School expansion scheduled for February 2026, and the recently inaugurated Centre for Innovation, Technology Skills, and Entrepreneurship Training (CITSET).
Plans are also in motion for a new hostel project under a Public-Private Partnership and a modern 8-storey Engineering Block to house state-of-the-art labs and digital design studios. Professor Afoakwa expressed his enthusiasm about the university's evolving landscape, designed to inspire solutions and drive technological progress.
He encouraged graduates to be bold and innovative as they transition into the next phases of their careers. "The world is waiting, not for another graduate, but for a trailblazer, a problem-solver, a creator, a leader," he remarked, reaffirming the university's dedication to academic excellence and innovation-led development.