Dr Samuel H. Donkor, President of All Nations University College in Koforidua, on Thursday urged Government to use part of the oil and gas revenue to set up scholarship scheme for young people to pursue higher education.
He noted that the measure would be beneficial to many brilliant but poor students just as the Cocoa Marketing Board (CMB) scholarship scheme helped thousands of Ghanaians to attain secondary and technical education.
Dr Donkor, who was speaking at the seventh congregation of the All Nations University College in Koforidua, said data released in 2010 by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) noted that individuals with higher levels of education were more likely to be employed even during the economic downturn.
“Throughout the world it has been found out that the probability of finding employment rises with higher levels of education,” a UNESCO report on poverty and education stated.
“A better educated household is less likely to be poor. Hence investing in education is one of the most important investments a family can make”.
Dr Donkor indicated that the worldwide recognition of the importance of higher education had propelled governments to make significant investments in education particularly, higher levels of education.
He announced that the University had reached an agreement with the New Juaben Municipal Assembly to build an ultra modern plant for liquid waste disposal for the Municipality.
“The assembly had struggled to effectively manage the Municipal liquid waste, which has contaminated the steams and other water bodies. The contaminated water seeps into the Densu River, polluting the source of drinking water for the municipality and beyond”.
Dr Donkor said in conjunction with its Principal, All Nations International Development Agency Canada, are developing a modern Biogas plant to handle the liquid waste not only for the New Juaben Municipality but all the other districts in the Eastern Region.
He noted that the measure would stop future cholera outbreaks like the recent one, which claimed many lives in Accra and Koforidua and other health risks associated with poor Municipal liquid waste management.
Dr Donkor challenged the graduands to take all the valuable lessons they had acquired during their training at All Nations to the workplace and make a difference.
In all, 96 students graduated in Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Bachelor of Biomedical Engineering, Biblical Studies/Business Administration, Bachelor of Computer Engineering and Bachelor of Computer Science.
Three of the graduands, Mr Daniel Etsey, Miss Agnes Mawufewo Kale and Mr Obed Tettey Nartey had first class honours.