Graduates Charged To Make Excellence Their Hallmark

Air Vice Marshal Griffith S. Evans, the Commandant, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), has urged graduating students of the Centre to make excellence the hallmark of their endeavours.

He said by making excellence their habit, they would grow their influence and then, they would be able to make the needed impact in society.

"The Centre has given you knowledge, if this is not combined with wisdom, you will make no impact on society, let alone your country.

"For you to successfully combine this newly acquired knowledge with wisdom, you must challenge yourself to be what you can be," Air Vice Marshall Evans gave the advice at the KAIPTC's Joint Graduation Ceremony on Wednesday, for the Master of Arts in Conflict, Peace and Security (MCPS), Master of Arts in Gender Peace and Security (MGPS) and Executive Master of Arts in Conflict, Peace and Security (EMCPS) graduands.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was the special guest of honour at the graduation.

Dignitaries at the ceremony included, former President Jerry John Rawlings, Mr Ambrose Dery, Interior Minister, Mr Dominic Nitiwul, Defence Minister and Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, the National Security Minister.

Others were Professor Philip Ebow Bondzi-Simpson, Rector, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Service Commanders, and members of the diplomatic community.

Air Vice Marshall Evans noted that, the KAIPTC was committed to offering academic programmes and training courses aimed at building the needed human capacity in the field of governance, conflict prevention, management and post-conflict reconstruction.

"We are resolute about investing in the future, a future of peace, human security, stability and development," he added.

Mr Bill Rammel, the Vice Chancellor/Chief Executive, University of Bedfordshire, United Kingdom, said the presence of the UN had reduced the likelihood and frequency of conflict around the world.

"And I am proud to say both Ghana and the UK deploy a significant number of personnel on UN Peacekeeping operations showing a commitment to the UN's Peacekeeping Mission," he said.

The overall best for the MCPS was Mr Ubon Humapwa Udoh, while Ms Linda Yaa Addo Frimpong was adjudged the overall best student for the MGPS, with Ms Nadine Ernestine Jeanne Pauline Merks, the overall best student for the EMCPS.

Dr Ezanetor Agyemang-Rawlings of the EMCPS graduating class, read the valedictory speech.

At the function, a six-member team of distinguished personalities was outdoored as KAIPTC Goodwill Ambassadors.

They are Dr Mary Chinery-Hesse, former Member of the African Panel of the Wise and former Chief Advisor to former President John Agyekum Kufuor, Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and the Head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel.

Others are Madam Ellen Margrethe of Denmark, former Special Representative of the UN Secretary General - UN Mission in Liberia and UN Mission in South Sudan and Cardinal Peter Kodwo Turkson, First Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Vatican City.

The rest are Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, Finance Minister and Dr Hadja Saran Daraba Kaba of Sierra Leone, Secretary General of the Manu River Union Secretariat.

The KAIPTC has instituted the "Goodwill Ambassadors" to support its management in strategic thinking and resource mobilisation from corporate and other international funding sources.

GNA
By Iddi Yire, GNA