The Vice-Chancellor of Dr Hilla Limann Technical University, Prof. Eng. Hamidatu Saaka Darimani, has challenged technical and vocational graduates to prioritise practical competence, creativity, and character over paper qualifications to help break the cycle of youth unemployment in the country.
Speaking as the Guest of Honour at the maiden graduation ceremony for informal-sector artisans at the Wa Technical Institute, Prof. Darimani emphasised that while formal certificates can open doors, only demonstrated skills and a professional mindset can guarantee long-term economic relevance.
“Every employer and community is not looking for the longest certificates. They are looking for three things: competence in your hands, creativity in your mind, and character in your attitude,” she stated while delivering her address on the theme, “Skills, not just certificates: Building a career that pays.”
Dismissing the widespread narrative that the country lacks employment opportunities, the Vice-Chancellor pointed to severe skill deficits in crucial sectors that young artisans can immediately monetise.
“People keep saying there are no jobs. Who will install the solar panels for factories? Who will service the tractors for our farmers? Who will build the hotels and wire the clinics? It is you,” she asserted. “The money is not in Accra or abroad. The money is where the problem is.”
Drawing from her personal entrepreneurial journey, Prof. Darimani shared how she founded her local restaurant brand, Spicy Foodies, 15 years ago using basic coal pots before steadily scaling it into a modern commercial kitchen. She urged the graduands to start small and prioritise professional integrity over short-term financial gains.
“Your skill is the currency; your attitude is your brand. Guard it with jealousy. Don’t chase quick money. Chase reputation, because reputation will pay you for 40 years,” she advised.
The historic graduation ceremony marked a major milestone for technical education in the Upper West Region, certifying dozens of young men and women who had transitioned from informal apprenticeships into structured, competency-based programmes.
The five-year initiative, sponsored by the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) in partnership with German development support, offers certification in National Proficiency 1 and National Certificate 1 across fields such as Automobile Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Fashion Design, Furniture Making, and Welding and Fabrication.
Delivering an address on behalf of Principal Saka Adams, the Vice Principal for Administration and General Issues at the Wa Technical Institute, Mr Akateng Papilian Christian, observed that the CTVET framework had restored hope to artisans who had previously been excluded from academic progression.
“Many of them never dreamt of making it in school because they could not go beyond primary or junior high school. But through the CTVET concept, a big door has been opened,” Mr Akateng said. “Go with pride. The nation needs your skills. Do not hide them. Be innovative, be excellent, and employ somebody.”
While celebrating their formal certification, industry leaders highlighted critical operational barriers threatening the sustainability of local craftspeople, chief among them the high cost of modern automotive diagnostic machinery.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, the Upper West Regional Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Garages (GNAG), Mr Jinsung Rashid, made a passionate appeal to the government to grant import tax exemptions on specialised diagnostic equipment.
He explained that as modern vehicles become increasingly computerised, traditional mechanical approaches are no longer sufficient, creating an urgent need for advanced diagnostic technology.
“You can imagine today you will have an electronic car such that if you even take alcohol and go to sit in it, the car cannot start. The average mechanic must be learning continuously,” Mr Rashid noted.
He cautioned that exorbitant import duties drastically inflate the retail price of diagnostic devices, putting them out of reach of average mechanics and increasing the risk of poor repairs, the use of fake spare parts, and avoidable road crashes.
“The importation duty of the machine alone is not easy. We are expecting the government to come in and give tax-free exemptions to these machines and tools so that we can do our work as expected and keep our transport system safe,” Mr Rashid urged.
The event brought together master craftsmen, young artisans, parents, and academic heads, celebrating a unified effort between formal institutions and trade associations to build a skilled, self-reliant workforce across the Upper West Region.
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