CAS-UEW Seminar Empowers Youth Leadership Across Africa
The University of Education, Winneba (UEW) has reinforced its commitment to nurturing transformative leaders and advancing sustainable development by hosting a seminar on Balance and Growth, Peace and Development in Africa with speakers urging young people to embrace peace, innovation and capability building as catalysts for the continent's progress.
Organised by the Centre for African Studies (CAS) of the Faculty of Liberal and Social Studies Education (FLSSE), the seminar held at the Jophus Anamuah-Mensah Conference Centre brought together traditional leaders, policymakers, government officials, academics and students to examine the critical role of leadership, peace and youth empowerment in Africa's development.
Welcoming participants, Dr. Robert Quartey, Course Lecturer at the Centre for African Studies, described the seminar as a platform for intellectual engagement on culture, leadership and nation building. He encouraged students to draw practical lessons for Africa's transformation.
Prof. Lucy Effeh Attom, the Dean of FLSSE, stressed that sustainable development requires more than economic growth. She highlighted peace, accountable leadership, strong institutions and ethical citizenship as indispensable pillars of national development. She reaffirmed UEW's responsibility to produce graduates equipped with professional competence, critical thinking and civic responsibility to drive positive societal change.
Mr. Godwin Kudzo Tamakloe, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority, challenged students to recognise their potential as agents of Africa's transformation. He described peace as the foundation upon which investment, business and national prosperity thrive.
Drawing from his personal experience during the Konkomba-Nanumba conflict, he urged students to become ambassadors of peace and to use digital technology responsibly to promote innovation, educate communities and reshape Africa's global narrative through positive stories of progress and opportunity.
Mr. Alex Mould, the Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Development Authority, encouraged students to focus on developing capabilities rather than merely seeking employment. He argued that prosperous nations are built on capable people and strong institutions, not natural resources alone.
"Resources create potential but capability converts potential into prosperity," he stated, urging universities to produce graduates who solve societal problems through critical thinking, collaboration, innovation, execution and integrity.
Neenyi Ghartey VII, the Chancellor of UEW and Paramount Chief of the Effutu Traditional Area, commended the Centre for African Studies for creating a platform that inspires responsible leadership. He urged students to cultivate discipline, integrity and diligence, reminding them that every generation bears the responsibility of improving society.
Dr. Richard A. Agyapong, the Head of the Centre for African Studies, thanked the guest speakers for sharing practical leadership experiences and encouraged students to seek mentorship, build their capabilities and aspire to become change makers in their communities and across the continent.
The seminar concluded with a renewed call for young Africans to embrace peace, ethical leadership, innovation and lifelong learning as essential drivers of sustainable development. This reaffirms UEW's commitment to producing graduates who contribute meaningfully to national and continental transformation.
