EPUC TO BOOST AGRIBUSINESS FOR JOB CREATION (PAGE 26)

THE President of the Evangelical Presbyterian University College (EPUC) at Ho, Mr Walter Komla Blege, has said the university was a community-based one committed to research and community development.
In line with this, he said the university was already conducting a consultancy research project aimed at providing baseline data on the bee-keeping industry in the Volta and Eastern regions with the view to boosting agribusiness for job creation and poverty alleviation.
Mr Blege said this when he addressed the second matriculation ceremony of 130 students who are offering Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Business Administration, Agribusiness, Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Ministry and Church Management at Ho.
He disclosed that there had been a rapid surge in the admission of students from 54 last year, to 130 this year and that it was a testimony that the EPUC had come to serve the people who would have been denied university education because of constraints of work, time and location.
The Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Professor Haruna Yakubu, in an address read on his behalf, said university education should result in enlightened behaviour and help students develop their morale and responsible to themselves and society.
He therefore urged the EPUC to set the pace in producing graduates who reflect a good mix of academic excellence and strong moral values. “Persons churned out of our universities should not only be found worthy in learning but they should also have sound character,” he added.
Prof. Yakubu urged church leaders to bring their influence to bear in ensuring that a good balance was struck between academic pursuit and moral education.
In an address, a former Moderator of the E.P. Church, the Very Reverend Japhet Ledo said the idea of establishing a university in the Volta Region had been realised through the efforts of the church.
He said the church was the first among equals in the establishment of educational institutions in the region and had brought university education to the doorstep of those who needed it.
The Very Rev. Ledo said the establishment of the university was in response to the challenge thrown to the private sector and churches to assist in bringing quality education to school leavers. He therefore appealed to the government to consider entering into partnership with the church to develop the university to the benefit of Ghanaians, adding that a substantial pie of the GETFund should be allocated to it to facilitate the construction of permanent structures and campuses in Hohoe, Buem and Nkwanta.
He disclosed that already 100 acres of land had been acquired at Adaklu–Gbeleve for the construction of a permanent campus for the university and thus called on well-meaning citizens, religious, political or tribal affiliation notwithstanding, to assist in developing the university.