24th Annual Congress of NUGS (China)

BE PROACTIVE IN CONTRIBUTING SIGNIFICANTLY TOWARDS GHANA`S

SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, STUDENTS URGED.

Addressing about 90 Ghanaian students at the 24th Annual Congress of National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS-China) held on the 3rd – 5th October, 2012 on the theme “Contributing to the Socio-Economic Development of Ghana – The role of NUGS-China” in the commercial city of Guangzhou in the Guangdong Province, Her Excellency, Ambassador Helen Mamle Kofi, represented by Mr. Akwasi A. Agyare, Deputy Head of Mission, called on the students to deeply reflect on what they as individuals could do to contribute significantly towards Ghana`s socio-economic development.

Her Excellency, Amb. Helen Mamle Kofi urged the students to see themselves as important human resource with the potential to partner government to contribute meaningfully to national development and pointed out that, it was in connection with this that, the Government launched the National Youth Policy of Ghana document as a conceptual framework to direct major stakeholders including the youth such as themselves to work assiduously towards youth participation in national development and was hopeful that, they would take advantage of that opportunity to launch themselves into the Ghanaian market and contribute their quota expectedly.

Her Excellency also informed the students that, the economic indicators showed that Ghana`s economy looked promising and as such, it presented lots of opportunities that they could take advantage of and contribute meaningfully towards Ghana’s development.

The Ambassador further reminded them that, as part of efforts to execute the “Better Ghana Agenda”, the Government of Ghana has been implementing several social intervention programmes such as Youth in Agriculture and Youth in ICT across the sectors of the economy to ensure that the fruits of Ghana`s economic growth are distributed equally.

Her Excellency also urged the students to take advantage of the Local Enterprises and Skills Development Programme (LESDED) which provided training to people who registered with them and after completion give them financial assistance to its trainees and also went great lengths to select the most profitable business opportunities.

Finally, the Ambassador intimated that, the name China was becoming synonymous with business and reminded them that, when they return home, the first question that they are likely to be greeted with is “which business did you bring”. According to her, this observation should inform them that lot of people back home have heard about business opportunities in China.

On his part, the outgoing President pleaded with the students to give the new executives maximum support so as to be able to steer the affairs of the union and further take it to a higher level.

Advising the students, Nana Appiah Kubi, General Secretary of the Ghanaian Community in Guangzhou, said that Ghana was endowed with lot of natural resources and the discovery and production of oil should motivate them to also pursue courses in that field and take advantage of the numerous opportunities the new sector presents and also contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s development.

The Congress ended on a very successful note after the students indicated their satisfaction with the responses given to the questions they asked.