Renowned Ghanaian economist, Mr Kwame Pianim is delighted with what he calls a surge in the number of women excelling in academia.

According to him, recent trends in higher education suggest that more women are enrolled, with many of them accumulating significant academic credentials at all levels.

He said empowering the girl child through education remains the most effective way to ensuring peace and security, which he said forms the foundation for development.

As a special guest of Honour, Mr Kwame Pianim was addressing a joint 11th Graduation ceremony of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) and the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), on June 7, 2023, at the KAIPTC campus in Accra.

He urged the fresh graduands to exhibit higher standards and serve as peace ambassadors in their communities to douse the political tensions, ahead of the 2024 general elections.

He renewed calls for strengthening of the Judiciary to enable Judges discharge their judicial powers without interference from state actors and powerful individuals.

Mr Kwame Pianim said extreme poverty remained Africa’s greatest enemy and called for concerted efforts in fighting the canker.

Valedictorian

In her valedictory speech, Dr Rebecca Yakubu Akatue extolled the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre management and lecturers for a job well done.

“It is a moment of joy that we are today bidding farewell to our great prestigious school (KAIPTC), and to those who have helped us to achieve this enviable academic milestone. We say a big thank you to the management and lecturers of this noble institution. Let me use this opportunity to commend the Commandant, Brigadier General Dr Gynae, his able Deputy, Air Commodore Ako- Dadzie and the KAIPTC management body for making this graduation a memorable one. Special thanks to the Dean, Professor Osei-Hwedie for his wise counselling and guidance during our studies.”

“We extend our gratitude to all the academic staff (FAAR) specifically the tireless and hardworking Professor Aning, Dr. Danso, Birikorang (my favorite lecturer) Sanuhu, Eduful, Mensah, and the rest of the academic staff for their immeasurable guidance in this academic journey. Our immense gratitude also goes to Mr. Sanda Fuseini, our indefatigable gentleman Philip and Priscilla without whom we would not have been able to graduate today.”

“Throughout our academic journey, you have proven to be qualified, intelligent, hardworking, and dedicated lecturers. This institution has challenged us in so many ways. We have learnt a lot!  We appeared to be defiant sometimes, we got into troubles, and above all we have improved and matured together.”

She recalled their academic journey saying, “I recall the COVID 19 pandemic period which nearly threw the academic calendar into “dangerous gear” and made this journey a bit tortuous. We were compelled to have online lectures which many of us had challenges with. There were times we thought of deferring our academic pursuit due to financial constraints, ailments, sleepless nights, and other unforeseen circumstances. At last, we have made it.”

Dr. Akatue emphasized that many of them with their varied experiences, enrolled into the “global and multipurpose training school with lofty expectations."

"It is indeed an academic journey worth taking since many of us have now acquired new knowledge and skills in conflict, peace and security, leadership, self-confidence and have unraveled new talents that we did not know. Personally, I see the end to this journey as the beginning of another stage in our lives. I can see many of us today in leadership positions in Ghana and in the global workforce"she noted.

The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), is one of three (3) Peacekeeping Training Centres of Excellence established by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to provide training in peacekeeping and peace support operations (PSO) throughout Africa.

The Centre was founded by the Ghana Ministry of Defense in 1998 and commissioned in 2004.

The goal was to build on and share Ghana’s five decades of internationally acknowledged peacekeeping experience and expertise with other countries in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and across Africa.

This was in response to the requirement for military, police, and civilian personnel to be trained to meet the changing needs of multidimensional peacekeeping operations.