President John Dramani Mahama has announced that Ghana will award 1,000 scholarships to tertiary students from across West Africa.
He revealed this during his address at the launch of ECOWAS’s 50th Anniversary celebrations in Accra on Tuesday.
President Mahama noted that the scholarship program was part of a broader vision to strengthen regional integration and diplomacy.
“To mark this moment and strengthen regional bonds, Ghana will award 1,000 scholarships to tertiary students from across the subregion to study in our universities,” Mahama said.
The president stated that the scholarship scheme is not just an educational gesture but also an act of diplomacy.
“It is a bridge to a future where our young people grow up seeing each other not as foreigners, but as partners.” he explained.
Addressing the current challenges facing the regional bloc, the President noted that the recent decision by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to withdraw from ECOWAS was a sobering development, however he called for members to address the issue with understanding, dialogue, and a willingness to listen and engage.
President Mahama revealed that Ghana has appointed a Special Envoy to initiate high-level conversations with the Alliance of Sahel States and that he has personally led diplomatic missions to rebuild communication channels with these neighbors.
“Ghana stands ready to serve as a diplomatic bridge, to help reknit the fabric of West African unity.
“We believe that through sustained dialogue, patient diplomacy, and principled negotiation, we can restore cohesion and rebuild trust in our community,” he said.
The event brought together heads of state and government officials from across the region, including Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who currently chairs the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
The President further called for greater investment in conflict prevention mechanisms across the region.
“Let this 50th Anniversary be a turning point for diplomacy in West Africa. Let us invest more in early warning systems, mediation capacities, and youth and women as peacebuilders,” he urged his fellow leaders.
The 50th Anniversary celebrations will continue throughout the year with events planned across member states, focusing on the community’s achievements and challenges since its founding in 1975.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
