Efua Goode-Obeng Kyei, Director EKGS Culinary Institute, has commended the government for its financial and business advisory support for Small and Medium Enterprises to cushion them in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We remain optimistic that with prudent management systems, coupled with the assurances of support interventions from the government such as business re-capitalization, organisations like ours will bounce back to winning ways in post-COVID-19," she said.

Mrs. Kyei gave the commendation at the 42nd graduation ceremony of the Institute of, which 120 students went through six-month intensive training in culinary skills.

The theme for the event was "Battling the Impact of COVID-19: The Role of the Culinary Industry".

The Institute provided a credit scheme that enabled the students, especially the first batch of students who were caught up in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic to complete their course of study successfully.

For the second batch, she said the institute had to revise the syllabus through intensive classes so they could complete the course.

The Director said the institute adhered to the health protocols as prescribed by the World Health Organisation and the Ghana Health Service during the training.

Madam Mariam Lovelace Johnson, Head of Food Enforcement, Food and Drugs Authority, urged the graduates to be focused and put into practice the skills they acquired to improve their livelihoods.

She charged them to adapt to change and challenges because true success would be defined by their determination.

Mrs. Josephine Austin, on behalf of the students, commended the management of the Institute for the opportunity and pledged to use the skills productively to build a more promising career for national growth.