Accra: Mr John Setor Dumelo, the Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, has urged graduates of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) to utilise their talents to shape the present and future of Ghana's development. He highlighted the critical role of the country's emerging human resource in not only inheriting Ghana's legacy but also bridging its current status with future growth.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr Dumelo, who is also the Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wuogon and an alumnus of GIMPA, addressed the graduates during the July session of the 25th Congregation of the Institute in Accra, where he served as the Guest Speaker. Speaking on the theme, 'From Heritage to Creative Futures: Inspiring Development through Artistic Education and Enterprise,' he charged the graduates to apply their training towards enhancing development across various fields, including public governance, law, technology, and the creative economy.
Mr Dumelo emphasized the transformative power of a GIMPA education, which shapes professionals and cultivates visionary thinkers capable of bridging policy and practice, theory and innovation, as well as tradition and transformation. He envisioned a future where Ghana's creative economy becomes a significant contributor to national development, with fashion designers serving as global ambassadors of Ghanaian culture and digital artists, filmmakers, and musicians owning their intellectual property within a robust legal framework.
He called for government policies that actively invest in artistic education as a means of fostering national identity, youth employment, tourism growth, and international recognition. Drawing from his experience in the entertainment industry, Mr Dumelo pointed out that Ghana does not lack talent but rather systems, support, and structural training. He urged graduates to venture boldly into the creative frontier and encouraged GIMPA to continue its leadership in governance, business, artistic innovation, and creative enterprise.
Professor Yaw Agyeman Badu, Chair of the GIMPA Governing Council, emphasized the value of Ghana's cultural heritage, particularly in the performing arts and creative industries, as a national asset. He stressed the need for deliberate investment and academic engagement to transform this heritage into sustainable economic and social enterprise. Prof Badu called for a concerted effort from creatives, scholars, policymakers, and entrepreneurs to shape a prosperous and inclusive Ghana.
During the ceremony, degrees conferred included Bachelor of Science and Master's degrees from the GIMPA Business School, Bachelor of Laws (LLB), and LLM in Dispute Resolution, Law and Practice, and Criminal Law and Justice from the GIMPA Law School. Additional graduates received Bachelor of Science, Executive Masters, Master's, and MPhil degrees from the School of Public Service and Governance and the School of Technology and Social Sciences.
