A cross section of graduands
The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) has held its eighth graduation ceremony
for students in the 2019 class of the Master of Arts in Conflict, Peace and Security, Master of Arts in Gender, Peace and Security, Executive Master of Arts in Conflict, Peace and Security, and the Weekend Master of Arts in Conflict, Peace and Security.
On the occasion, the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) pledged support and partnership with the KAIPTC.
Chief Executive Officer of the GNPC, Dr. K.K. Sarpong, speaking at the ceremony, said “collaborations with institutions of higher learning such as the KAIPTC is essential to addressing the envisaged threats in onshore oil operations”.
He said his outfit will also among other initiatives “invite students from KAIPTC to access GNPC scholarships for post graduate studies”.
According to the GNPC CEO, Africa is grappling with diversity of security challenges, ranging from political instability to economic stagnation, ecological degradation to gross and fundamental human rights violations.
Dr.Sarpong maintains “the relevance of programmes of KAIPTC to our emerging oil and gas industry and indeed our country is very apparent”.
He proposed that the KAIPTC considers the inclusion of Corporate Conflict and Insecurity in its program offerings considering the fact that conflicts in corporate space appears to be on the ascendancy in Ghana and other countries in Africa.
Commandant of the KAIPTC, Major General Francis Ofori in his address to the overly elated graduates, and relatives emphasized “it is imperative to remember that your degree, like others, can be described as a paper qualification.
The real value lies in how you apply the knowledge and training you have received to address complex societal problems.”
The Commandant added “at all levels of the organisation, we are moving out to engage with our stakeholders to determine their needs and to work with them to develop and deliver products and services that meet those needs”.
Minister in charge if Tertiary Education, Professor KwesiYankah, reiterated the need for Civil Society to spearhead efforts in ensuring the sustenance of peace and security.
Professor Yankah said noted that civilians are often the greatest victims in the periods of strife and crises. “For as has been demonstrated time and again in Africa here, and in parts of the world, it is often not the winning of war,that is important.
The main challenge has been how to win peace”. The minister admonished graduating students to take up critical roles to ensure a peaceful and secured society.
“With a masters’ degree, you are now a master unto yourself, licensed to enlist and train other apprentices, training apprentices to maturity and independence”.
In all, a total of 120 students graduated from the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), in the joint graduation ceremony.