Accra, May 24, GNA - The Ashesi University on Saturday held its 4th graduation ceremony in Accra with a call on graduates to use their expertise to make a difference in the corporate world and the country at large.

Mr. Kofi Bucknor, Managing Director of Kofi Bucknor and Associates said reinventing the educational system to produce analytical, multi-skilled products with good leadership skills was crucial to achieve desired progress in Africa.

He said ineffective leadership skills remained a bane to Africa's development and called for more emphasis on leadership training in the educational curriculum to reverse the trend.

Mr. Bucknor said effective leadership was not just an issue of a leader with great ideas or visions, but more of how to implement actions to make the visions a reality.

" The effective way to build leadership is through a learning and teaching process where people are challenged with new opportunities and supported with feedback and coaching and where mistakes are treated as learning experiences", he added.

Dr. Patrick Awuah, Founder and President of the University said the intrinsic power to cope with challenges confronting the African continent rested in its people to chart a new course. He indicated that there were bound to be challenges in efforts to excel in leadership and advised the grandaunts to be cautious of attempts that would prevent them from taking risks necessary for a renaissance.

"You will encounter those who dare to dream, who question the status quo and who believe in the inherent ability of each of us to advance the human condition. I urge you to listen to that group", Dr Awuah added. The President of the University also challenged them to emulate the attributes of great philosophers and inventors such as Bill Gates, Marie Curie and Martin Cooper, the inventor of mobile phones to also make positive contributions to humanity.

Dr. Awuah commended the graduation class for their dedication to studies during their course, adding; "Imagine the change that would come to Africa if all students decide to follow your example to work and live by honour and develop the habit of inspired leadership across Africa". Ms. Anida Acquah, a representative of the grandaunts thanked the school and their families for the investment.

She said their batch was able to set up five investment clubs to provide an avenue to prepare them for the future financially and the initiative received recognition, winning a third position in the 2006 National Investment Competition organized by Data Bank. Ms. Acquah said this demonstrated their preparedness to transform society.

Thirty-one students graduated with degrees in Business Administration, Computer Science and Management Information Systems.