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A business mogul, Dr James Condua Orleans-Lindsay has been inducted as the first Chancellor of the Cape Coast Technical University, pledging to transform the university into one of the best in the country.
At an investiture ceremony at the university, Dr Orleans-Lindsay said he envisioned a university that fostered innovative research and scholarship and promoted an inclusive and diverse academic environment.
Again, he said his tenure would work towards promoting student-centred education and holistic development, while modelling excellence in teaching, learning and consultancy services.
Dr Orleans-Lindsay said he would use his experience in national exposure to connect the institution to many institutions to give the institution global relevance and leverage.
“I am a business mogul. I have interests in real estate and agriculture. I hold many other business portfolios. I, therefore, pledge to use all my experience to assist the TVET department to create wealth and self-reliance to free the government of certain financial pressures,” he added.
He observed that as an entrepreneur, his dream of creating entrepreneurs aligned with the vision of the university, saying achieving their goals would not be a difficult thing.
Dr Orleans-Lindsay gave the assurance that before his five-year tenure as chancellor, he would finance the construction of the Orleans-Lindsay students hostel and ensure the completion of the university’s proposed 40th-anniversary students hostel.
The occasion was used to cut the sod for the two hostel projects, the 40th-anniversary students hostel and the Orleans-Lindsay students hostel to which he gave GHc300,000 in support of the Orleans-Linsday students hostel.
Dr Orleans-Lindsay said while the responsibility that came with the role could not be underestimated considering the many infrastructure challenges of the university, he was optimistic that with effective collaboration with relevant stakeholders, such challenges were surmountable, adding “together we are going the change the face of the CCTU.”
A former Minister of Education and running mate of the New Patriotic Party, Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh commended Dr Orleans-Lindsay for his philanthropic works, saying he was best qualified for the chancellorship.
“I am confident that this elevation is thoroughly deserving and he would rise to the occasion and help the university to become one of the best in the country,” he stated.
Dr Opoku Prempah said TVET was crucial now and in the future to tackle societal challenges and accelerate development
He said it was to this end that the government had invested over $1 billion in technical and vocational education in the last six years to transform the sector, equipping their workshops, changing the curriculum, reorganised the institutions into an effective coordinated national TVET system and supported all technical universities to mature and urged them to stay true to technical education.
The Deputy Minister of Education in charge of TVET, Prof. Kingsley Nyarko said the government was committed to supporting TVET to help accelerate the nation's development.
The Oguaamanhen, Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II advised the chancellor to be humble and open to advice to be successful in his new position.
Dr Orleans-Lindsay is the Chief Executive Officer of JL Properties and Executive Chairman of JL Holdings.
He has established businesses in Portugal, Malta, the United Kingdom, Cote d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.
He is also an author. He has many articles on business and personal development.
He founded the Orleans-Lindsay Foundation to support healthcare and education.
He holds a bachelor of science degree in biochemical science from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), a master of science in construction management from the University of Salford and a doctorate in construction management and certificates in real estate finance.
