The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George (MP), has called on graduates to become architects of transformation in Ghana’s evolving digital economy.
Delivering the keynote address at the 9th graduation ceremony of Perez University College on Saturday, he charged the Class of 2025 to embrace innovation, integrity, and leadership in shaping a resilient, inclusive, and technology-driven future.
Hon. George said the nature of work is rapidly changing, with automation, artificial intelligence, climate change, and demographic shifts redefining economies and skill requirements across the globe.
“The future of work is already here. The old formula of getting a degree, landing a job, and settling into a routine no longer holds. Work is being reinvented, and success will depend not just on what you know, but on your ability to adapt, relearn, and lead,” He declared.
He emphasized the Ministry’s vision for a 24-hour digital economy, underpinned by smart infrastructure, data-driven public services, and a national commitment to innovation, saying that “this is not just a slogan, but a shift in how data works, thinks, and produces, ensuring transport, health, digital and creative services operate around the clock, aligned with global time zones”.
He also highlighted ongoing government efforts, including:
- The Smart Data Exchange to improve public service delivery.
- Nationwide digital platform expansion.
- The One Million Coders initiative to train Ghanaian youth.
- Development of a National Startup Ecosystem to support innovation, entrepreneurship, and job creation.
The Minister challenged the graduates to take bold steps, “Do not wait to be hired. Build. Employ others. Disrupt the ecosystem. Be the job.”
Hon. Nartey George called for a value-driven approach to development, stressing the need for inclusion, integrity, and purpose. The future must not only be efficient but ethical, adding that there was the need for a generation that was not only skilled but principled.
He urged the graduates to make God the centre of their journey, reminding them that success lies in purpose, perseverance, and faith.
“Let no one tell you that God does not rule in the affairs of men. I am a living testimony that He does. Become the change. Become the leader of your generation. Become ambassadors for Christ wherever you find yourselves. Ghana is counting on you, and, God is watching,” he said.
The Chancellor and Founder of Perez University College, Archbishop Charles Agyinasare, in addressing the graduating class used the occasion to call on the administration of President John Dramani Mahama to prioritize financial support for private universities in Ghana so as to expand access to tertiary education and the country’s broader development agenda.
While commending government initiatives such as the payment of first-year fees for students in public universities and a pilot free SHS programme extended to selected private secondary schools, Archbishop Agyinasare urged for similar interventions to be rolled out for private tertiary institutions.
He proposed subsidies, grants, or fee assistance programmes to level the playing field.
The Director-General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdullai, said it was very refreshing for Perez University College to have its 9th graduation ceremony, adding: “This attests to how far the university has come and the impact it continues to have on widening access to tertiary educational delivery in Ghana and beyond.”
“The story of this institution is incomplete without acknowledging the pivotal role of Archbishop Agyinasare and his wife in transforming a Bible school into a thriving university college,” Prof Jinapor stated.
He reaffirmed GTEC’s support for private tertiary institutions, particularly faith-based universities, for expanding access to quality education for students who might otherwise be left out
