KEY POINTS
- Daniel McKorley urges university graduates to rethink their approach to work
- Garden City University marks its 25th anniversary this year
- McDan Foundation also continues its social programmes
Ghanaian logistics magnate Daniel McKorley is urging university graduates to rethink their approach to work, saying education should spark innovation rather than fuel a rush toward traditional employment.
Speaking at the 17th congregation of Garden City University in the Ashanti region, he said graduates must “step into the world ready to solve problems,” not merely fill vacancies.
The 52-year-old entrepreneur, widely known as McDan, said he built his rise across logistics, aviation, shipping and mining through what he calls “silent work,” the discipline of mastering the craft before seeking visibility. He told students that the labour market rewards creativity, not credentials alone.
Graduates must focus on practical problem-solving
Garden City University, marking its 25th anniversary this year, graduated 2,494 students, most from its health sciences programmes. The institution’s silver jubilee theme “25 Years of Impact and Beyond: Sustaining Excellence and Innovation for National Transformation” reflects its ambition to strengthen Ghana’s human-capital pipeline.
McKorley praised the university’s role in training clinical professionals, noting its steady expansion and consistent output of skilled talent. He urged graduates to apply their technical knowledge to gaps in Ghana’s service delivery systems, adding that national development hinges on individuals who see opportunity in everyday challenges.
McDan Group expands export and social projects
According to Billionaires Africa, McKorley’s business footprint continues to widen across West Africa, with operations in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea. His salt venture, Electrochem Salt Mine, has revived the long-neglected Ada Songor concession, now producing 650,000 metric tons a year. Output is expected to climb to one million tons in 2024 and two million tons in 2025.
Furthermore, the company’s $88 million salt-washing plant, Africa’s largest processes high-purity industrial salt from a 41,000-acre field spanning 33 communities. Earlier this year, McKorley unveiled plans to raise $445 million to automate the mine and build new bulk-export infrastructure, including pipelines and a jetty at Ada West.
Beyond industry, the McDan Foundation continues its social programmes. More than 7,000 widows in Accra received food packages earlier this year. In 2021, the foundation issued nearly $500,000 in interest-free loans to over 1,000 women-led small businesses.
