COCA- COLA SUPPORTS U. G. PROGRAMME WITH $50,OOO

The Coca -Cola International Company yesterday presented a cheque for 50, 000 dollars to the University of Ghana, at Legon in Accra.

The cheque was the company's contrubution to the establishment of the Coca-Cola Forum in Management and Marketing at the University and the first of three year commitment in Ghana.

The forum would focus on Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) by means of research, training, interships, counselling and consultnacy to address problems and needs of small business, and growth in the business environment.

Presenting the cheque, Mr. lan P. Blackburn, General Manager of the Coca-Cola Bottling Company Ghana Limited said the company had committed !50,000 dollars for the establishment of the project in the country.

He said the forum supported Africa's private business sector though the encouragement and development of enterprenuership.

The objective of the forum, he explained was to support government assistance programme to SME's help cultivate enterpreneurship, especially among students, widen employment opportunities in the private sector for University graduates.

Receiving the cheque, Professor George Benneh, Vice-Chancellor of the University said the forum sought to support African governments in their attempt to bring about economic development in their countries.

He said the government was no longer able to provide automatic employment for the large number of graduates who completed their education and entered the labour market.

He said the university needed to develop more lasting partnership with industries but not from a position of dependency.

Professor Benneh expressed gratitude to Coca-Cola International for providing such a partnership