BY MAVIS OTCHERE
The US Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, has underscored the importance of investing in capacity building for visionary leaders.
According to her, it is a strategic approach to driving innovation and making a positive impact in Ghanaian communities. She noted that it will also contribute significantly to enhancing the integrity and development of the nation’s economy.
Speaking at the Mandela Washington Fellowship’s 10th Anniversary Conference in Accra, the Ambassador said, “Africa’s future rests with its younger generation, who are full of potential. She therefore urged young leaders to leverage the country’s resources to foster prosperity, peace and security.“
The Mandela Washington Fellowship, launched in 2014 and funded by the U.S. Department of State, aims to bring young African leaders to the United States for academic coursework and leadership training. The programme equips these leaders with skills needed to drive innovation, strengthen education, enhance agricultural value chain, and promote democratic governance and ethical leadership across Africa.
Over the past decade, the Mandela Washington Fellowship has empowered a new generation of African leaders who have made significant impacts within their communities, countries, and across the continent.
The Fellowship does not only focus on fostering an enabling environment for innovation but also addresses the challenges of misinformation and social media.
Speaking at the event, U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, highlighted some of the notable achievements of the Mandela Washington Fellowship. She emphasised, “building confidence among young girls is crucial to strengthening democracy in Ghana.”
Delivering the keynote address, President of Academic City University College, Professor Fred McBagonluri, stressed the need to prioritise ethical and transformational leadership in African politics. He noted, ”this approach would foster industrialisation and development on the African continent.”
President of the Mandela Washington Fellowship Association, Ghana Chapter, Dr. Laud Anthony Basing, outlined the Fellowship’s objectives and reaffirmed the association’s commitment to helping students identify and realise their full potential.
The conference, themed “A Decade of Excellence in Empowering African Leaders for Sustainable Change,” is aimed at breaking the barriers of poverty and amplifying marginalised voices in Ghana’s political landscape.
