Young political leaders must look beyond party lines to strengthen Ghana’s democracy – EU

European Union (EU) Delegate to Ghana, Jonas Claes, has emphasized the importance of young political leaders transcending party lines to bolster Ghana's democratic framework. Claes, speaking at the WYDE project's concluding workshop in Accra, noted that young leaders are the future of Ghana's political landscape and that early collaboration would equip them with essential skills for problem-solving in their professional journeys.

The Women and Youth Democratic Engagement (WYDE) project, funded by the EU, partnered with the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Ghana Office and the European Network of Political Foundations (ENoP) to bolster the involvement of young individuals and women in political parties and democratic procedures. The initiative brought together opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) young political leaders alongside student leaders from the Tertiary Education Institution Network of NDC and Tertiary Students Confederacy Network of NPP.

Claes lauded the inclusion of representatives from diverse political parties, particularly NDC and NPP, as it would foster strong collaborative ties among participants. He commended the EU Delegation for its support in encouraging cross-party engagement from an early stage, as it would enhance the participants' capacity to work together.

Laurenz Van Ginneken, Project Manager at ENoP, emphasized the significance of investing in young leaders, stating that equipping them with leadership skills early would benefit not only them but the entire nation. Van Ginneken likened the training to a "backpack" that would provide young leaders a head start in their careers. The friendships formed across party lines during the program, he noted, were intended to be sustained, as maintaining that spirit of cooperation would benefit Ghana, Africa, and beyond.

Participants engaged in parliamentary simulations to hone their debating acumen and received financial resource management training, with Members of Parliament serving as mentors. Lawrencia Akosua Pomaa, the WYDE Ghana Project Manager at KAS Ghana Office, explained that the various activities aimed to endow the young leaders with practical skills and experience, thereby fortifying their future involvement in public life.