Accra, Jan. 28, GNA - Mr Paa Kwesi Yankey, the new Chairman of University of Ghana Alumni Association (UGAA), has said he would work with the University authorities to set aside a day in its calendar to organise a job fair and an advisory centre for the students.

Mr Yankey said the job fair would create a platform for the students t= o interact with motivation speakers and Human Resource Managers from selected companies to provide general information about career options and identify current job openings.

He made the statement in his acceptance speech at the handing over and induction ceremony for new members of Alumni Council in Accra on Thursday. The newly elected members of the Council are Mr Paa Kwesi Yankey as Chairman, Mr Kofi Dua-Adonteng, vice-Chairman, Mr John Dekyem Attafuah, General Secretary and Dr George T.M. Kwadzo as the treasurer. He promised to broaden the membership of the Council through the use o= f Facebook and e-mail as well as programmes that would bring more Alumni into the Association.

Mr Yankey said his team would work to organize a dinner/dance to raise funds to support the Association in its programmes.

Mr Kwaku Mensa-Bonsu, the outgoing chairman UGAA, said the Association was able to put before the University Council a paper towards re-building the image of the University of Ghana after the exam leakage of 2005 that threatened its image and reputation as a world class institution. He said the Association had played a major role in the establishment o= f an endowment fund committee to support its activities. Mr Mensa-Bonsu said over the last seven years, the Alumni Association had instituted a programme where distinguished professionals were invited t= o interact with final year students.

He said the idea was to create a congenial platform for the students about opportunities in their various fields and the requirements for entering those professions as a guide towards career selection. Mr Mensa-Bonsu said the association was able to organise an Alumni dinner with the Vice-Chancellor to raise funds. He said during their tenure of office, they were able to raise more than GH¢50,000, out of which GH¢40,000 was paid, and urged members who had to redeem their pledges to do so.