The Member of Parliament for Assin South Constituency, Rev
John Ntim Fordjour, has donated 10 Laptops and 20 units of LED streetlights to
his alma mater, the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa.
The gesture, according to the soft-spoken politician and entrepreneur,
is in support of the university’s innovation and entrepreneurship programme, the
Incubation Hub, which nurtures brilliant and groundbreaking innovations and
inventions of students of the University.
Hon Fordjour is so far the first and only alumnus of the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) to have been voted into the Parliament of Ghana as a legislator.
Having graduated with a degree in Mineral Engineering from
UMaT in 2007, Rev Fordjour returns 12 years on to give back to his alma mater
he so proudly touts as the best publicly-funded university in Ghana.
In his presentation, Hon Fordjour indicated that “it is most
gratifying to give back, within my modest means, to a great institution which
imparted me with unique values of excellence, the fear of God, and selfless
leadership.”
As the main speaker at the 5th Innovation and Career Fair of the University speaking to the theme, ‘Think Smart, Be Innovative’, Hon Fordjour challenged the students to devise creative and innovative solutions for the numerous problems and challenges evident in health, Education, agriculture, industry and environmental sectors.
He noted that by doing so, they will create opportunities of
commercial scales in pursuit of the Ghana
Beyond Aid Agenda.
He also called on the government, corporate bodies and donor
partners to support UMaT’s Incubation Hub
and to provide the needed funding to convert the brilliant innovations and
inventions into commercially viable products and services.
In his expression of appreciation, the Vice Chancellor of
UMaT, Prof Jerry S. Y. Kuma who received the donation on behalf of the
University, thanked Hon Ntim Fordjour for his trailblazing gesture and
commended him for the advocacy taken to rally support for the financing of the
ultimate UMaT Master Development Plan,
which is estimated at $600 million.
He assured the alumnus and Member of Parliament that whereas
the laptops will be very helpful for the Incubation Hub, the LED streetlights
donated will also provide illumination and improve the security of the campus
and residential areas.