The Chancellor of the Presbyterian University, Ghana (PUG) and Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rt. Rev. Dr. Abraham Nana Opare‑Kwakye, has issued a strong call to ethical leadership, national responsibility, and Christian witness as the University held its 8th Graduation Ceremony for the School of Graduate Studies last Saturday.
Addressing Council Members, faculty, traditional leaders, clergy, government officials, families, and the graduating class, the Chancellor described the day as a defining moment in the life of the University. Graduation, he said, is “a festival to celebrate excellence,” marking the transition of students into professionals equipped to contribute meaningfully to society.
He congratulated the graduates for their perseverance and academic achievement, urging them to see the ceremony not as an end but as the beginning of a new chapter filled with responsibility and opportunity. He acknowledged the difficult realities facing young professionals in Africa—economic hardship, social injustice, political instability, and environmental degradation—but encouraged them to remain hopeful. “In the face of adversity, there is always a window of opportunity,” he said.
Drawing on the University’s Christian foundation, Rt. Rev. Dr. Opare‑Kwakye reminded the graduates that PUG has trained them to be “the salt of the earth,” called to influence society positively. He urged them to uphold integrity, preserve goodness, and resist the moral decay that has become commonplace in national life.
The Chancellor spoke strongly against corruption, illegal mining (galamsey), and political hypocrisy, lamenting the inconsistency of leaders who once condemned wrongdoing but now encourage silence. He challenged the graduates to be different—courageous, truthful, and morally grounded. “Work hard to reduce, and if possible eliminate, the demons of galamsey, corruption, and others that have become part of everyday life in Ghana,” he said.
He encouraged the graduates to remain connected to their alma mater and uphold PUG’s values of excellence, integrity, and service. Concluding the ceremony, he prayed for God’s blessings upon the graduates and formally declared the Assembly duly constituted as a Congregation for the award of degrees.
