The Chairman of the Eastern/Volta Regional branch of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Mr. Dela Gadzanku, has called for the universities to move quickly to realign their programmes to fit the needs of industry.
Their products should receive hands-on training and be sufficiently equipped with the requisite skills that would make them employable.
He added that there were job opportunities in the private sector for graduates with the right training and skills.
Mr. Gadzandu was speaking during separate courtesy meetings with the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. Kwakye Darfour, and the Vice Chancellor of the Koforidua Technical University, Professor (Mrs.) Smile Dzisi, by the regional executive members of the association.
This provided the forum to discuss the role AGI could play in the industrial development of the Eastern and Volta Regions.
The association has a combined membership of 300 in the two regions, who are into micro, small, medium and large-scale businesses.
Mr. Gadzanku spoke of the need to deepen the interaction between academia and industry to help the former to come to terms with the real needs of industry.
“What is the use, if a university produces a graduate, who after 10 years cannot either find a job or be able to establish their own business’’, he asked.
He appealed to the government to give strong support to the private sector and to take deliberate steps to reduce the cost of doing business in the country.
Mr. Darfour underlined the government’s eagerness to speed up the nation’s industrialization through the implementation of the ‘’One District One Factory’’ policy.
Prof Mrs. Dzisi said the KTU, had developed a well-structured curriculum to produce practical-oriented and skilled graduates, ready for the job market.
Source: GNA/NewsGhana.com.gh
