Lead fight against poverty - Veep to graduates

Accra, July 12, GNA-Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, has tasked graduates of the country's tertiary schools to help reduce poverty and enhance the quality of life in communities where they live. He said the essence of the national educational reforms was to produce Ghanaians capable of using their knowledge to the benefit of the larger community.

Vice President Alhaji Mahama was speaking at a special awards dinner organised by Unilever Ghana, to immortalise the name of Mr Ishmael Yamson, a former Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the multi-national company, by establishing a Professional Chair for Development Studies after him at the School of Business Studies, University of Ghana, Legon.

He eulogized Mr Yamson for his illustrious contribution towards the development of the private sector.

"He has been an exceptional leader and I believe he really deserves this honour," the Vice President said.

He also showered praises on Mr Kwame Pianim, an Economist for being appointed the maiden occupant of the Unilever Ishmael Yamson Chair, stressing: " Kwame's credentials need no expression."

"As a statesman and economist of international repute, he is more suited to be the pioneer of the Chair. With his experience, I believe he will bring to bear a practical approach to learning that will help produce graduates capable of innovation and invention." Vice President Alhaji Mahama described Unilever as a giant in the private sector, adding: "Before the sun sets, one is likely to have used a household or personal care product from Unilever." He said it was this kind of corporate image that the Government sought to nurture under the Golden Age of Business.

One formidable challenge he said, which was confronting business in Ghana was the acquisition of long- term capital and announced Government's vision to tackle the problem.

Mr Charles Cofie, Chief Executive officer of Unilever said the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the University of Cape Coast were also beneficiaries of two other professional chairs. He also praised Mr Yamson for dedicating 34 years of his youthful life to Unilever.

Mr. Diego Belilacqua, President of Unilever, who is attending a nine-member Unilever Advisory Council in Ghana with Baroness Linda Chalker, a Non-Executive Member of Unilever PLc, said the turn over of the company was over 14 billion euros.

He said Unilever operates in 18 countries in Africa with a capital expenditure of 70 billion euros a year, with vitality as their key word. Mr Yamson thanked the Government for allowing Unilever to operate a tax-free fund for education.

Mr Andrews Quayson, Chairman of Trustees of Unilever Ghana Foundation for Education and Development, said last year, four billion cedis was spent in supporting teaching and learning in a number of secondary schools and research work at the universities. Within a five-year period, Unilever had supported 310 senior secondary school students, 50 undergraduates, eight postgraduates with three beneficiaries studying in the UK.

The Foundation has also trained over 380 small-scale entrepreneurs and donated fully equipped ambulances to three rural clinics. 12 July 06