The Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) graduates have been tasked to be agents of positive change in their various endeavours.
The graduates were encouraged to use their knowledge acquired to create innovative ideas to solve problems in society.
Mr Baboucarr Bouy, Minister, Public Service, Administrative Reforms, Policy Coordination, and Delivery of the Republic of the Gambia, said this on Friday at the 24th congregation of the Institute for graduate and undergraduate programmes.
In all, 573 students graduated with degrees, 432 with master’s degrees, and five with PhDs, on the theme, “Strengthening Partnership for Impact.”
He urged the graduates to embrace challenges with confidence, saying, “The knowledge you acquired will serve as a solid foundation to build your careers.”
Mr Bouy admonished them to harness the power of networks and seek collaboration to enhance their impact and make a difference in society.
He commended them for their efforts throughout their studies, adding that the ceremony was a testament to hard work, perseverance, and dedication to charting a good path to their careers.
The theme, he said, underscored the fruitful relationship between Ghana and Gambia in achieving transformative development.
“The ties between the two countries have always been strong and grounded in shared values and mutual respect, working in education, health, and governance,” he said.
Mr Bouy commended Ghana for its enviable accolade of being a beacon of hope and inspiration for other countries to emulate.
Education, he stressed, had been a vital area of effective collaborations, with GIMPA distinguishing itself as excellence in the training of public servants across the continent.
“GIMPA has so far trained over 250 Gambia staff in public service, contributing to the development of the various sectors of the economy,” he said.
He called for investment in human capital through quality education to enhance human resource development in Africa.
Professor Samuel Kwaku Bonsu, Rector of GIMPA, said the theme reinforced the Institute’s pursuit to reconcile the past relationships, strengthen existing ones, and build new ones for sustained growth.
He said 10 of the Institute’s students would travel abroad for an exchange programme to broaden their knowledge and explore new opportunities.
The Institute, he said, would continue to leverage the partnership with its stakeholders to ensure that the curriculum became relevant and competitive within and beyond the country.
He urged the graduates to be ambassadors of GIMPA and instil ethics and values in their fields of disciplines.
Mr Ebenezer Asante, the overall best graduate student with the Master of Business Administration, Finance Option of Business School, thanked GIMPA for creating an environment that fostered academic excellence.
He pledged to use their skills to benefit society.
Mr Murphy Kwame Frimpong won the overall best undergraduate student award, Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, School of Technology.
GNA