Cape Coast, March 14, GNA - The Vice- Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Reverend Professor Emmanuel Adow Obeng, on Wednesday cut the sod for the construction of a multi-million cedi clinical skills laboratory for the university's proposed school of medical sciences, which is to take off in August this year.

Speaking at the function, Prof. Obeng, said the proposed school, "would be unique", with the attachment of the laboratory and expressed optimism that graduates would be encouraged to stay and work to make their "expertise bear on the ordinary Ghanaian".

MAERSK Ghana Limited, a shipping company, which is funding the project, has already presented a cheque for one billion cedis for the construction of the laboratory.

The proposed school, is expected to commence in August this year, and would train physicians and medical students.

The Dean of Medical Sciences at the UCC, Professor Harold Amonoo-Kuofi, described the commencement of the project as "historical" since it would be the first to be established in Ghana and the whole of West Africa.

According to him, the laboratory, was extremely important since it would provide the "requisite training of medical students in a laboratory setting to enhance their skills and competence as physicians and medical personnel", for quality manpower in the medical field. Prof. Amonoo-Kuofi said the UCC hoped to stem the brain drain with the construction of the laboratory, since the students would be given the "optimum training and facilities that would sustain their interest". The Managing Director of MAERSK Ghana Limited, Mr Soren Thomsen, underscored the importance of education to the development of a nation and stressed that the current favourable political and economic climate would not have been achieved without education.

He observed that education could become one of the country's greatest assets, adding that it was his company's vision that within the next few years people would travel to Ghana to seek medical attention because the school would produce world-class medical professionals who would deliver improved medical services.