Self employment is the main solution to graduate unemployment problem in Ghana, Dr Lord Emmanuel Asamoah, Principal of the Garden City University College (GCUC) has stated. He said starting a business could be a very difficult undertaking, but with patience, determination, zeal and self-denial, graduates would be able to succeed. He was addressing the maiden graduation ceremony of the College at Kenyase near Kumasi on Saturday, where degrees and diplomas were awarded to 88 candidates comprising 24 ladies and 64 men for successfully completing programmes in business, nursing and Information Communication Technology (ICT). Sixteen of the graduates received first class honours. Dr Asamoah indicated that millions of illiterates or semi-literates small scale businessmen and women in the private sector, generated significant incomes sometimes much higher than those in the formal sector. He said if that was possible then there should be no justification for a university trained graduate to stay idle for too long after graduation in name of waiting for job opportunity from the government. The Principal said the universities turned out large number of graduates, who enter the job market each year with two main handicaps: either they hold relevant qualifications for the job market but their number far exceeds demand or the graduates possess degrees that woefully fall short of employer's expectation. He said if these two problems were not addressed by government and by the training institutions, graduation ceremonies would mark the beginning of a nightmare for the majority of graduates with shattered dreams. Dr Asamoah announced that the College despite its limited financial resources, had provided GH¢32,080 as scholarships to support the education of 32 promising students from deprived families in fulfilment of its social responsibilities. He said the College had also earmarked GH¢497,995 for infrastructural development that provides for a five-storey classroom block. The first phase which comprised eight classrooms and offices, have been completed with part of the funds set aside for the construction of hostel facilities at Tewobaaba near Kumasi. Professor Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa, the Vice Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), praised the founder of the University and management for nurturing the institution to this level. He told the graduates that the lecturers and their parents had prepared the grounds for their future and it behoved on them to build on it to become useful citizens. Dr Benjamin Adu-Amankwa, Chairman of the University College Council said the University was ready to expand and support educational programmes. Mr Albert Acquah, Chancellor and Founder of the College said education is the key to human development and urged people to continue to educate themselves in order to provide their children with the experience that would help them to succeed in life. Source: GNA