Kenyase (Ash), July 2, GNA- Garden City University College (GCUC) at Kenyase near Kumasi in the Kwabre District of the Ashanti Region, has been granted accreditation to run Bachelor of Science and Diploma programmes.

Dr. Lord Emmanuel Asamoah, Principal of GCUC, who announced this, said the programme would be run along side business and Information Communication Technology programmes being currently organised by the College.

He was speaking at the First Matriculation for 250 fresh students of the College at Kenyase on Saturday.

Dr. Asamoah said some private Universities were being established in the country in response to the increasing demand for tertiary education and GCUC would ensure good quality education. He said "To give competitive advantage to our graduates at the job market, we shall eventually phase out those traditional, oversubscribed programmes that have lost their relevance and attraction to employers." He said the GCUC would also venture into unique programmes that would respond to the needs of non-traditional manufacturing and industries that were springing up in response to the positive economic climate prevailing in the country.

Mr. Albert Acquah, Founder and Chancellor of the College, said the College would set up a centre of research and initiate outreach programmes in other areas of study.

These were health, education and development, centre for literacy and numeracy development, centre for management and economics and a centre for micro financing and business. Mr. Osei Assibey-Antwi, Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, said he was optimistic that the establishment of the College would assist in improving the human resource base of the country. He also urged the authorities of the College to contact the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports and the Ghana Education Service to assist the College to enable it attain full University status.

Oheneba Adusei Poku, Akyempimhene, expressed the hope that the establishment of the College would assist government to provide good quality education and raise the living standards of the people. Dr. Bobby Austin of Columbia District University called on the students to be committed to their studies and to work towards national development after their courses.