MUCG to train entrepreneurs

MUCG to train entrepreneurs

By Mohammed Awal

The Methodist University College of Ghana (MUCG) has inaugurated the Center for Entrepreneurship Education, Research and Training (CEERT) and Regional center for Global Entrepreneurship Training (GET) to train youth in entrepreneurship skills in Ghana and West Africa.

Very Rev. S.K. Adjepong, Principal MUCG

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the two centers situated at the MUCG Dansoman campus on Friday, the Minister for Education, Prof. Jane Naana Opuku-Agyeman said “Ghana needs entrepreneurs who could think in difficult situations and make something good happen.”

According to her, “entrepreneurship education and training should, therefore, guarantee creative thinking, problem solving and leadership, that will prepare young people for the work environment,” noting today’s world has no place for grumbling, complaining and fault-finding.

Challenging educational institutions, Prof. Opuku-Agyemang said they should come up with programmes that would build the capacity of graduates by enabling them to acquire the “skills and practical experience” necessary to start and operate a new enterprise.

“There should be a paradigm shift from everybody wanting white color job to self–employment. This requires more than learning what they need to change; they need actual change of their mindset itself. Such a change of mindset can be brought about through education such as what MUCG seeks to provide through this Center” the Minister indicated.

The Centers, the Principal of the University College, Very Rev. Prof. S.K. Adjepong revealed were established through a partnership between the MUCG and the Handong Global University, Korea, under the auspices of  United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s  (UNESCO) University Twining and Networking Programme (UNITWIN).

Very Rev. S.K. Adjepong said the inauguration was “a two-pronged milestone”, for it opens another chapter in the University’s efforts to make itself “relevant to society and also in contributing to economic development of the nation.”

The Center, he revealed, would undertake the following activities: Global entrepreneurship workshops, short course training for targeted groups, individuals, institutions and corporate bodies.

He further stated that it would provide “professional development programmes in entrepreneurship and consultancy services.

The Principle further explained that: “programmes at the center will be application-oriented, with the objective of developing skills for the business community and creating entrepreneurial managers for corporate as well as individual business.”

It would place strong emphasis on entrepreneurship as “a means of creating value for organizations and developing leadership competencies” he emphasized.

The key objective of training at the center would be the creation of an entrepreneurial mindset in students he added thus, providing students the opportunities to interact, challenge points of view and business situations.

However, Very Rev. Prof. S.K Adjepong was quick to add that ideas developed by entrepreneurs would come to nothing if there was no adequate financial backing. He, therefore, called on the state to support people with such brilliant ideas to prosper.

“It is no gainsaying that developing ideas and turning them into profitable ventures require adequate financial resources. Entrepreneurship tends to thrive in economies where banks, development finance institutions and venture capital firms are willing and able to provide finances to enterprises. This is where the state comes in. We appeal to government to introduce policies that would create the needed environment to support entrepreneurship in this country,” he said.

On his part, the Director of the CEERT, Dr. Ato Essuman showed gratitude to the authorities for making him director of the Center promising to that he would not “weakly crumble under its weight,” but would strive to see it succeed.

“I imagine that the task of a director is akin to that of directing a boat on a long journey. This boat does not have an engine, but uses paddles to propel it.

”There are many paddlers and for this boat to move fast and in the right direction, all the paddlers must do their bit. The paddling must also synchronize for the journey to continue. I wish to appeal to everyone in this University to be part of our boat’s crew” he pleaded.