Tarkwa, July 26, GNA - Professor Daniel Mireku-Gyimah, Vice Chancellor of the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), has described the institution's products as people with one of the best brains needed to transform Ghana and Africa.

He said their expertise in various mineral explorations, extraction, and transformation could be used to benefit the nation and the entire African continent.

Prof. Mireku-Gyimah said this at the second congregation of the University at Tarkwa on Saturday.

In all 238 graduands were presented with certificates, diplomas and degrees out of which 20 received Masters Degrees.

"By all standards, these graduands are good engineers, well prepared to enter the world of work and would contribute meaningfully to the development of the mining, oil and gas sectors of the economy."

Prof. Mireku-Gyimah said additionally the graduates took courses in law of contract and tort, business entrepreneurship, public relations, communication skills and computer applications.

He urged the graduands to uphold core values such as knowledge, truth and excellence, while making hard work their cardinal principle.

Prof. Mireku-Gyimah said major challenges facing the University are lack of well-equipped laboratories, workshops, lecture halls and student hostels to enable students to get the full complement of their education.

He announced that the Wassa Fiase Traditional Council had released a 26 square kilometer of land for the development of a new campus for the University.

Prof. Mireku-Gyimah said drawings for the new campus have been completed.

Additionally, he said, the University would begin new engineering programmes in civil engineering, wind and solar energy, biomass energy engineering among others needs.

In an address read on his behalf, President John E. A. Mills said, government would continue to support the University in the provision of academic facilities.

He, however, appealed to mining companies operating in the area to also assist with the provision of infrastructure to make teaching and learning on campus effective.

The University started as the Tarkwa Technical Institute in 1952 and then in 1960 was converted into the Tarkwa school of Mines affiliated to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

On November 2006 it was turned into the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), following the passage of ACT 677, which mandated it to award its own certificates, diplomas and degrees.