Kumasi, June 27, GNA - Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, on Friday called on stakeholders to invest more in higher education for the effective utilization of the country's resources. He noted that no country could achieve much or realize its developmental aspirations without the political will and dedication to higher education.

"A nation's progress and advancement are measured and achieved through a conscious, labourious and sustained higher educational system," he added.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu made the call when addressing the 42nd Congregation of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi.

A total of 4,951 students from the Colleges of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Architecture and Planning, Art and Social Sciences, Engineering, Health Sciences and Science graduated. They were presented with First and Second Degree certificates and Post-Graduate Diploma certificates.

The Asantehene said nations that had developed dedicated about 30-40 per cent of their Gross National Product (GNP) to higher education and research and since Ghana was primed for economic and technological break-through, she should follow the trend. He called for a review of the status and placement of the National Council for Tertiary Education, National Accreditation Board and Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences to help revolutionalise higher education and research institutions.

"We must review the Acts and Statutes for the establishment of these institutions to reposition them to reflect the nation's development agenda," he said. Otumfuo Osei Tutu announced that the University Council had set in motion a process to review its programmes of study to meet the challenges ahead, and was discussing with stakeholders to achieve this objective. Professor Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa, Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, implored the graduands to endeavour to be serious with their career developments by embarking on continuous research to enable them put their knowledge and expertise at the disposal of the nation. He asked them to be disciplined at their work places and be committed to duty for increased productivity.