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Technical education contributes significantly to countries Gross Domestic Product
Aware of the fact that workers with technical education background have contributed about 60 per cent of the gross domestic product of countries, a clarion call has been made for Ghana to place emphasis on technical education for economic growth.
The Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum in a speech read on his behalf at the 22nd Congregation of Accra Technical University (ATU) on Friday, February 24, 2023, said countries with gross tertiary enrollment ratio above 40 per cent developed faster.
He said technical and vocational education played a significant role in the development of a country and could, therefore, be used to provide a robust economy.
Dr Osei Adutwum said in view of the changes which had impacted negatively on the international market, it became imperative that students were prepared adequately to meet international best practices around the globe.
He said the government had introduced an Engineering Programme which would provide students who had no knowledge in General Science, an opportunity to study Engineering at the Post Secondary level for one year adding that the programme was to prepare the students to gain admission to read Engineering in the university.
He said the government had introduced an improved Student’s Loan Policy which did not require a guarantor and as well increased the grant to GHC 3,000.00.
The Guest Speaker, Mr Davies Narh Koboe, an alumnus, said Ghana could attain the enviable height like China it had strategically realigned its Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) needs.
He said the country’s flagship programmes would be a mirage if it failed to prioritise TVET to provide the needed manpower to drive the manufacturing sector.
He said recent report had shown that the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant in the Western Region had saved the country about $ 3 million every month when the company replaced expatriates staff with their Ghanaian counterparts.
He said the social and economic impact on the country’s development would be enormous if certain strategic sectors were controlled by Ghanaians.
The Vice-Chancellor of Accra Technical University (ATU), Prof Samuel Nii Odai, said a total of 4,282 students, made up of 1,482 Bachelor of Technology, 2,496 Higher National Diploma (HND), 219 Diploma and 85 Certificate and Diploma for the Ghana Armed Forces ,graduated.
He said a total of 468 graduands had First Class, while the university’s Governing Council had approved 24 policies in 2022 in order to support the quality of governance and systems.
He said the university had commenced massive roll out of the 4-year BTech programmes in the 2021/2022 academic year stressing that the total number of programmes with full accreditation stood at 12.
Prof Odai said the university had signed Memoranda of Understanding with many institutions abroad in a bid to improve on learning and teaching.
In his Valedictory address, Master Fiawogbe Addison thanked parents,guardians and lecturers for their invaluable services which had facilitated their studies.
He called on his colleague graduates to remain focused in their field of work.
By Raymond Kyekye
News
Minister of Health appeals to Tamale Teaching Hospital striking doctors
The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has appealed to the striking doctors at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) to calll off the suspension and come to the negotiation table.
However, he refused to apologise as demanded by the striking doctors.
The doctors after a meeting yesterday have withdrawn emergency services following the dismissal of the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital.
This follows an unannounced visit to the hospital by the Minister on Tuesday.
The Minister made the appeal when addressing the media in Accra on Today, April 24 2025.
According to him, dialogue is the only way out to resolve the issue, adding that he was ready collaborate with them.
“I am prepared for us to come around the table and discuss whatever we need to discuss,” Mr Akandoh said.
“My humble appeal to my wonderful medical doctors and health professionals at Tamale Teaching Hospital is that I am the first person to take care of your interests. Therefore, let’s call off the strike and let’s all regroup and strategise going forward,” he concluded.
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Health Minister donates medical equipment to Tamale Teaching Hospital, pledges commitment to reforms
The Minister for Health Kwabena Miintah Akandoh has reiterated government’s commitment to address long-standing challenges in the health sector, describing the health system as one that requires urgent reform and collective responsibility.
He made these remarks during a donation of some essential medical equipment and supplies to the Tamale Teaching Hospital on behalf of the Ministry of Health.
The donation included a wide range of equipment such as ECG machines, ICU ventilators, cardiac monitors, anesthesia machines, infant incubators, and essential
Consumables amounting to about 35 items.
Among the items highlighted were
Emergency Health Equipment (EHE) sets, nebulizer sets, and medical-grade towels.
The Health Minister acknowledged the difficult working conditions health professionals continue to endure and emphasized that government efforts alone would not be enough to resolve systemic issues.
He called for unity across the health sector and urged all stakeholders, including medical doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, to work together to ensure that the country’s limited resources are used efficiently.
He noted that the wellbeing of the ordinary Ghanaian should be central to healthcare delivery, cautioning against practices that marginalize the underprivileged due to resource scarcity. According to him, every Ghanaian life is valuable, and the system must reflect that belief in both policy and practice.
Mr.Akandoh stressed that his leadership approach is rooted in humility, collaboration, and respect for all health workers. While acknowledging that change may come with challenges, he maintained that cooperation is key to achieving lasting improvements in the sector.
The Minister pleaded with health professionals in the Tamale Teaching Hospital to call off the strike and regroup to strategize on more effective ways to address their concerns through dialogue and collaboration with relevant authorities.
The donation to the Tamale Teaching Hospital forms part of a broader national initiative to modernize medical infrastructure and enhance service delivery in Ghana’s healthcare.
