Statement for the Chancellor of Pentecost University College Apostle Dr. Opoku Onyinah at the First Graduation Ceremony of the University on 3rd October 2009
Your Excellency, Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Honorable John Dramani Mahama,
Minister of Education, Honorable Alex Tetteh-Enhyo,
Chairman of the Council, Dr Micheal Agyekum-Addo
Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. C.N.B. Tagoe
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
Today is no doubt a great one for our graduands but the greatest joy is mine. This is not only because I am the Chancellor of the University but the founding Rector until last year when a call to service meant I had to leave this beloved University. The whole Church of Pentecost and indeed all the saints join us to praise God for the vision of the founding fathers of this university college.
Your Excellency, the Church of Pentecost (COP) Ghana embarked upon the establishment of a University College not as part of an emerging trend among Christian denominations and other Ghanaian groups and individuals to set up institutions of higher learning but as part of the calling of the church to be “salt and light” of the world by developing the whole person to realize their God given potential fully.
The church therefore is in the business of high education to produce men and women who will be among the finest intellectual products of the land. More than that, we seek to provide graduates with transformed minds and character. In other words the college aims to produce quality graduates that will meet the needs and challenges of the people empowered to serve God in their generation.
We live in a country which can boast of the best brains in the world. Firstly we recently celebrated the 100th anniversary of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, our First President who was a trail brazzer of African independence. Next door to us is Maranatha University College co-founded by another great son and a good one whose centenary will be in 10:10:2010 that is Mr. William Eugene Ofori Atta popularly known as Paa Willie. Busumuru Kofi Annan has carried the Ghanaian torch to the highest point of the world.
Yet we all know that all is not well at home because education without character, capacity without integrity means that as a nation, despite all our potential we remain poor. The stark reality of our national predicament stares at us in the face.
Effective, transformational and servant leadership still eludes us
Sad to say most Ghanaians, even Christians seem to have a big gap between the creed they profess and their behaviors in the market play. As a servant of God, I will like to challenge especially Christians to allow the Holy Spirit to work in us the truths of God’s word so that we will indeed be “salt of the earth and the light of the world.” The bible says righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to every people. The Church of Pentecost in supporting PUC is doing so not to add one tertiary institution to the numbers in Ghana but to establish an authentic Christian university where men and women will:
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Acquire the knowledge and capacity to be among the corporate, political and public service leaders of the country who will be of character that is honest, credible and of integrity
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Will stand up to be counted in the light against partisanship, mediocrity, and corruption
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To that the Rector and Management inform us that the University will introduce a unique monitoring system and leadership training for all students each semester.
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