Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission, Professor Stephen Adei, has called on the Government not to deprive private tertiary institutions of government subsidies, grants and other interventions.

He said universities, whether public or private, contributed to building the human capital of a nation and that both must be beneficiaries of government funding.

Prof. Adei made the call in an address at the Seventh Congregation of Perez University College located at Gomoa Pomadze, near Winneba in the Central Region.

The event, on the theme: “Ghana Beyond Aid: The Role of Private Tertiary Education,” had 55 students of the 2018 academic year graduating.

Of the number, 39 were from the School of Business, four from the School of Theology, and 12 from the Ministerial Faculty.

Prof. Adei, the Special Guest, stated that both private and public universities must be equally supported by the government by also waiving all taxes on inputs required for teaching, learning and innovation as well as materials imported for infrastructural development.

He tasked private tertiary institutions to have a clear cut mission, vision, and quality leadership to strengthen management and ensure effective internal quality control to attract more students.

The graduates were advised to let Christ take the lead in all their endeavours, be disciplined, competent, and care for others.

The Most Reverend Dr Charles Agyinasare, the Founder and Presiding Bishop of Perez Chapel International, and Chancellor of the University, said the role of private tertiary education in socio-economic development and the realization of the “Ghana Beyond Aid” could not be overemphasised. 

The “Ghana Beyond Aid” agenda required a dynamic human capital to drive its socio-economic activities,” he said, adding that without a strong human capital, all other factors of production might remain ineffective.

“We need an educated and qualified workforce, without which all government policies and socio-economic interventions may have an insignificant effect,” he said.

He called for a workforce that was highly qualified and capable of providing the needed solutions to the problems of a tech-hungry and entrepreneurial-driven Ghana.

Bishop Agyinasare indicated that education was a vital instrument for increasing productivity, and effecting structural change and economic freedom.

He said public tertiary institutions alone could not develop the human capital needed for the transformation of Ghana.

“We, as a country, must look beyond politics and resolve to ensure that any policy meant to better the lot of the future generation, irrespective of which government initiated it, is entrenched and supported to work to the benefit of those who need it most”.

“Therefore, I believe that if we must pursue the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda and succeed, an entrepreneurial education approach, underpinned by biblical Christian values, is the way to go”.

He said the Perez University College was strategically positioning itself to partner the Government to pursue the agenda and called on Ghanaians to embrace it and contribute towards the total development of the nation.