Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has joined young people from across West Africa at the opening ceremony of the West Africa Youth Days, urging them to take an active role in promoting peace, unity and hope across the region.
The event, hosted by the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference in collaboration with regional episcopal bodies of the Catholic Church, is being held under the theme: “Take Courage: Catholic Youth as Actors and Agents of Peace and Hope in West Africa.”
The Vice President highlighted the enormous potential of West Africa’s youthful population, while acknowledging challenges that transcend national borders.
She cited government initiatives including the Adwumawura Programme, National Apprenticeship Programme and One Million Coders Programme, alongside investments in education and economic growth, as efforts to expand opportunities for young people.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang also commended the Catholic Church for its longstanding contribution to education, healthcare and social development in Ghana and across the region, noting the importance of partnerships between faith-based organisations, government and civil society in advancing the common good.
She encouraged participants to measure the success of the gathering not only by the discussions held, but also by the friendships built, cultures understood and differences navigated without hostility.
She particularly cautioned young people about the dangers of misinformation and division in the digital age, stressing that young people have significant influence through what they share online, how they engage with others and the communities they build.
The Vice President called on government, the Church, civil society and young people to each play their part in building a peaceful and united West Africa where diversity does not become a source of division.
She emphasised that sustaining peace requires a generational commitment, with young people serving as important actors in carrying the values of hope, tolerance, understanding and peaceful coexistence into the future.
