Climax TV
Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has urged young people across West Africa to take an active role in building peace, strengthening regional integration and creating a more prosperous future for the region.
Addressing a gathering of young people and Catholic Church representatives in Accra at West African Youth Day 2026, the Vice President said West Africa’s youthful population represents a major source of energy, creativity and opportunity, but warned that the region continues to face challenges including violent extremism, economic pressures, irregular migration, disinformation and climate change.
Speaking on the theme “Take Courage: Catholic Youth as Actors and Agents of Peace and Hope in West Africa,” Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said the challenges confronting the region transcend national borders and therefore require collective action.
“No one country can address them alone,” she said.
She stressed that sustainable peace depends on public confidence in institutions, peaceful resolution of disagreements and the creation of credible economic opportunities for young people.
Youth employment key to regional stability
The Vice President identified education, skills development and employment as critical to giving young people hope for the future.
She said Ghana was expanding opportunities through entrepreneurship support, apprenticeships and digital skills development.
According to her, the government’s programmes are intended not only to equip young people for employment but also to contribute to national stability and economic growth.
The 2026 Budget also identifies the National Apprenticeship Programme and the One Million Coders Programme as part of government’s efforts to expand vocational and digital skills opportunities.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, however, acknowledged that government programmes alone could not resolve the challenges facing young people.
“The work must continue to improve education, create more opportunities, support enterprises and build an economy capable of creating decent and productive work,” she said.
Calls for stronger West African bonds
The Vice President also called for stronger people-to-people relationships across West Africa, arguing that regional integration cannot depend solely on treaties and institutions.
She said West Africans must also “know one another,” build friendships and develop an appreciation for each other’s cultures and societies.
She encouraged the young participants from across the region to use the gathering as an opportunity to develop relationships that could contribute to greater regional cooperation.
Digital Platforms Can Either Divide Or Unite
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang further cautioned young people about the potential impact of misinformation, prejudice and anger circulating through digital platforms.
She noted, however, that technology could also be harnessed to connect communities, spread knowledge and create opportunities.
“How we use these tools in becoming part of how we build peaceful societies is what matters,” she said.
She urged young people to recognise that their everyday actions — from the friendships they form and businesses they establish to the information they share and how they handle disagreements — can influence the future of the region.
Church, Government And Youth Urged To Work Together
The Vice President commended the Catholic Church for its longstanding contribution to communities across West Africa, particularly through social interventions, education and its advocacy for human dignity, justice and peace.
She said government, the Church, civil society, families and communities all have responsibilities in building peaceful societies, while young people must also recognise their own capacity to influence change.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang concluded by urging participants to return home with more than memories of the gathering.
She encouraged them to take with them new friendships, a deeper understanding of other cultures and a stronger sense of shared responsibility for West Africa’s future.
President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Most Rev. Matthew Akwasi Gyamfi, has urged young people across West Africa to take an active role in promoting peace, justice and hope in the sub-region.
Addressing participants at the West African Youth Day 2026 in Accra, Bishop Gyamfi said young people were not merely preparing to take over the Church and society in the future, but were already important participants in the life and mission of the Church.
He said the energy, creativity, courage, faith and commitment of the youth could contribute significantly to the renewal of families, communities, institutions and societies.
Bishop Gyamfi acknowledged the challenges confronting West Africa, including armed conflicts, political instability, corruption, youth violence, forced migration, social inequalities, extremism and environmental degradation.
He, however, encouraged the youth not to surrender to fear or despair, but to become agents of peace and hope.
“Take courage. Act as agents of peace and hope in West Africa,” he urged.
According to him, true peace goes beyond the absence of conflict and must include justice, respect for human dignity, stronger communities and the opportunity for every person to live in security.
He therefore challenged young Catholics to bring the values of the Gospel into their homes, schools, workplaces, communities, public life and digital spaces.
Bishop Gyamfi also called on the youth to resist injustice and demonstrate their faith through their conduct, relationships, leadership and service.
He stressed the need for greater cooperation among the countries of West Africa, noting that many of the challenges facing the region transcend national borders.
He encouraged young people from different countries to learn from one another, celebrate their cultural diversity and build lasting relationships of mutual support and cooperation.
The President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference further urged the participants to reflect on their responsibilities to the Church and their respective countries after the Youth Day celebrations.
He said the real impact of the gathering would be measured by what participants did when they returned to their parishes, schools, workplaces and communities.
“Take courage, because Christ walks with you,” Bishop Gyamfi told the young people, adding that their generation had a vital and unique role to play in transforming West Africa.
He concluded by encouraging young people to become missionaries of peace and hope, while calling for deeper faith, stronger communion and renewed hope among Catholic youth across the sub-region.
