Lashibi, Accra — 8 May 2026
The Chief Executive Officer of Pamicor Limited, Dr. Kofi Peter Amponsah-Mensah, served as Guest Speaker at the inaugural graduation ceremony of Thrivus University for Biomedical Science and Technology, held on Thursday, 7 May 2026 at the university’s Lashibi campus in Accra.
Addressing the pioneering Class of 2026, the governing council, faculty, parents and industry partners, Dr. Amponsah-Mensah used the occasion to call for national investment in dementia research, frame Thrivus as a future engine of Ghana’s economic transformation, and challenge graduates to build solutions rather than wait for jobs.
A personal story that became a national call
Dr. Amponsah-Mensah opened with a personal account of a recent visit to a friend and colleague of nearly thirty years in Obuasi who could no longer recognise him.
“This is an illness that steals away the opportunity to transfer knowledge and skills to the next generation. It disrupts legacy.”
He noted that while dementia was once associated primarily with the elderly, it is increasingly being diagnosed in younger populations, making it a critical area for Ghanaian scientific intervention.
“I would challenge Thrivus, or possibly nominate it for sponsorship at the doctoral level, to research this sickness, because we are all here at risk.”
The remarks were widely reported in the national press, including by the Ghana News Agency, which framed dementia research as a question of preserving national legacy.
A shared founding conviction
Drawing parallels between Thrivus University and Pamicor, Dr. Amponsah-Mensah observed that both institutions were founded not to follow tradition, but to set new standards in their respective fields.
Thrivus, founded in 2017, accredited by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission and elevated to Presidential Charter status in 2024, is pioneering research in genome editing and gene therapy, sickle cell disease, stem cell and genetic diseases, molecular embryology, microbiomics, bioactive compounds, and integrative research.
“Ghana cannot transform its economy without science. Africa cannot compete globally without innovation. If we get this right, we can build something comparable in structure to Silicon Valley and Bangalore. A place where ideas become companies, research becomes wealth, and graduates become employers.”
A direct charge to the pioneering Class of 2026
The Class of 2026 comprised six graduates: three awarded a Master of Philosophy in Human Embryology and three awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in Human Embryology, including one female PhD recipient.
Dr. Amponsah-Mensah described them as foundation stones who created a path where none existed.
“You did not merely pass through a programme. You helped establish a standard.”
His charge to the graduates was direct.
“Your degree is not your success. It is your access. Your entry ticket into the arena of work.”
He urged them to look beyond traditional employment.
“Don’t look for jobs. Create solutions that eliminate the need for waiting for jobs. Don’t study problems only. Solve problems so big that industries form around them. That is how economies are built. That is how nations rise.”
Closing with Pamicor’s operating philosophy, he charged the graduates to heal, discover, innovate and transform.
“If it does not exist, build it. If it is broken, fix it. If it is slow, improve it.”
A call to industry
Dr. Amponsah-Mensah also addressed corporate partners in attendance, reframing investment in Thrivus as economic strategy rather than philanthropy.
“Thrivus is not a cost. It is a future economic engine in motion. Innovation without investment has limited or no impact. If we want to make an impact, we must invest in innovation.”
The appeal to industry was covered separately by the Ghana News Agency in its report on the ceremony.
Thrivus announces full research scholarships and a biotech incubator
Responding to the call for greater investment, Prof. Kenneth Frimpong, Founder and President of Thrivus University, announced that he would personally fund full research scholarships for all incoming students, covering tuition, mentorship, laboratory access and materials.
Prof. Frimpong also outlined plans for a biotech incubator to bridge laboratory discoveries with patents, prototypes and partnerships, alongside Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics outreach programmes in senior high schools across Ghana.
Dr. Henry Antwi, Vice Chairman of the University’s Governing Board, hailed the graduates as architects of possibility who must go on to shape policy and transform healthcare systems.
“Build bridges between science, policymakers, industry and communities. Challenge assumptions, embrace failure, collaborate across borders, and remember that behind every dataset is a human life waiting to be improved.”
Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, former Minister of Education and Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe, who supported the pilot of biomedical science studies at Bosomtwe Girls Senior High School during his tenure, also addressed the ceremony, praising Prof. Frimpong for his transformative vision and urging the graduates not to succumb to challenges.
Pamicor’s commitment to African innovation
Pamicor congratulates Prof. Kenneth Frimpong, the faculty, the families who carried these graduates here, and the pioneering Class of 2026.
The address at Thrivus reflects a broader commitment that runs through Pamicor’s own operations: building African capacity, in African hands, for African challenges. The same conviction guides Pamicor’s work as an indigenous underground mining and water treatment contractor across six operational sites in Ghana and Burkina Faso.
By Africa. For Africa.
About Pamicor Limited
Pamicor Limited is a Ghanaian indigenous underground mining and water treatment contractor operating across six sites in Ghana and Burkina Faso, including Chirano, Obuasi, Newmont Ahafo, Bibiani, and operations in Burkina Faso. Guided by its core values of Safety and Discipline, Smart Work, Focus, and Communication, Pamicor builds African solutions to African industrial challenges.
About Thrivus University for Biomedical Science and Technology
Thrivus University for Biomedical Science and Technology was founded in 2017, accredited by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission, and elevated to Presidential Charter status in 2024. Located in Lashibi, Accra, the university is dedicated to advancing biomedical science and technology through rigorous research, innovative teaching, and the cultivation of professionals committed to shaping national and global health development.
Further reading
- Graduates urged to research dementia to preserve national legacy — Ghana News Agency, 7 May 2026
- Thrivus University first congregation: Corporate bodies urged to invest in research, innovation — Ghana News Agency, 8 May 2026
