The Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has advised graduates to venture into entrepreneurship, where they can develop their own businesses to enable them to build a sound future for themselves.
According to him, going into entrepreneurship will also help the graduates contribute to the development of the country.
In a speech read on his behalf by a Deputy Minister of Education, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, at the 13th congregation of the University of Mines And Technology (UMaT) in Tarkwa last Saturday, the Vice President said the public sector would not shut its doors to graduates but added that there was much to gain from venturing into entrepreneurship.
“Not only are you expected to be working in the public sector; you are equally expected to be drivers of the private sector. Some of you should start planning to begin your own businesses with knowledge gained from the training you have received, and possibly employ others,” he said.
He added “You should develop such positive traits as hard work, honesty, dedication, trustworthiness and humility,” he told them.
He further told them that as they stepped out into the world of work, they should take advantage of all opportunities that would come their way and position themselves to be relevant to society.
The Vice President’s comments come a few weeks after the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta advised the youth to venture into entrepreneurship as the government cannot absorb them into the public sector.
Ken Ofori-Atta added that the government’s payroll is full.
According to him, about 60% of the government’s revenue is already being paid as salaries to some 650,000 public sector workers.
“We have gone through a period where most people look for jobs with the government. That payroll is full because we are spending some 60% of revenue on the remuneration of some 650,000 people, and that is not sustainable,” he disclosed at Springboard-Ghana Cares Youth Dialogue in Accra.