Mrs Gloria Larson, First Female President of University of Bentley, USA has said women empowerment is one of the surest ways of combating poverty.

She said the role of women in every nation was critical for development but had faced persistent obstacles and economic constraints, limiting further inclusion in decision making.

She said most women lacked access to credit facilities, information and services that are needed to create better conditions for themselves.

Mrs Larson was speaking at a durbar at Asutuare in the Eastern Region as part of the University’s seven days ‘Thank you Tour’ of Ghana on behalf of the Bentley community for the hundreds of students and faculty who have benefitted from Bentley’s relationship with Ghana.

The visit would also enable her to witness what Bentley students have experienced in Ghana that had led them to give good accounts of the country.

Every year, University of Bentley sends students to Ghana to have internship with organisations founded and led by Ghanaians which is committed to addressing a specific societal issue.

The students bring general business skills in finance, technology, management, marketing and accounting and often make contributions to their host organisation.

Some of the organisations include Ghana Poultry Network, Asutuare Women’s Development Society, Deloitte, KPMG, PWC and Ernest and Young.

The goal of Bentley’s involvement in Ghana is to give future business leaders experience such as working in intercultural settings and applying business principles to complex social problems.

Mrs Larson argued that unleashing women’s economic potential could promote economic growth and pave way for other women’s rights.

She said women’s empowerment and capacity building should be one of the priorities of every country to promote gender equity.

As part of the University’s effort to strengthen its relationship with Ghana, Mrs Larson presented an amount of GH¢ 8000 for the construction of poultry feed mill at Asutuare in the Eastern Region to assist poultry farmers at Asutuare and its environs.

Dr. Anthony Akunzule, Executive Director of Ghana Poultry Network commended the University for making Ghana one of their destinations in helping to shape the lives of the students.

The President of the University of Bentley was accompanied by Dr Diane Kellogg, Head of Management Department, who initiated Bentley’s Ghana project, Dr Rick Oaches, Chair of the Natural and Applied Sciences Department and Dr Earl Avery, who oversees Bentley’s diversity initiatives.

Source: GNA

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