Some 355 students from West African countries have passed out of the Buea-based Pan African Institute for Development in West Africa (PAID-WA) obtaining diplomas in development studies at post-graduate and under-graduate levels.

The students from Equatorial Guinea, Congo, the Gambia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Cameroon were honoured at the PAID-WA Institute campus last 22 June in a colourful ceremony chaired by host Governor of the South West Region, Bernard Okalia Bilai. The Governor acknowledged that PAID-WA was bringing in a new impetus for human capital development seen through its well-tailored courses, the least of which runs two months. He urged the graduates to be ambassadors of the PAID-WA.

In an earlier address, the Director of PAID-WA, Nigerian born, Mrs. Rosetta Bola Thompson, expressed gratitude to the Cameroon Government and its leadership for continuous support of the 42-year old PAID-WA. She explained that this year PAID-WA is graduating students in nine programmes and 12 other courses in partnership with the Institute of Commercial Management (ICM) England. The Director equally rejoiced that PAID-WA was competently fulfilling its role of capacity building as a significant human resource approach to tackle numerous development problems on the African continent. Mrs. Thompson evoked that PAID-WA has been providing efficient, practical and relevant skills to enhance knowledge and behavioural aptitudes necessary to face life realities in Africa.

The PAID-WA has over the years been highly solicited for their England-backed Diplomas enabling graduates to seek for jobs everywhere in the world. It was announced at the Buea graduation that Morocco has recently embraced the Pan African Institute as the latest member country.