The Ladder Project engages 60 UPSA student leaders on leadership and Ghana’s next chapter

Leadership House, a leadership and civic engagement institution aligned with the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has brought together 60 student leaders at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) for discussions on leadership, citizenship and Ghana’s future. The engagement, held on Thursday, September 24, 2026, was organised in collaboration with the Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG-UPSA) and the UPSA Students’ Representative Council (SRC). The event, dubbed The Ladder Project, featured former Information Ministers Kojo Oppong Nkrumah and Fatimatu Abubakar as speakers.

It focused on “Leadership, Citizenship and Ghana’s Next Chapter”, combining practical discussions on leadership with conversations about national challenges and the role of young people in public life. The first session, titled “The Leadership Journey,” focused on the experiences that shape leaders before and after they occupy public office. Discussions centred on influence before formal positions, critical turning points, failures and lessons from public leadership.

The session was designed to help participants examine leadership as a process that extends beyond holding political or institutional positions. The second session, “Ghana’s Next Chapter,” shifted the conversation to national issues. The speakers and student leaders engaged on topics including governance, the economy, employment, education, technology and public trust.

The format allowed participants to examine some of the challenges confronting the country while considering the contribution young people can make to addressing them. The third segment, “The Student Leaders’ Floor,” gave participants an opportunity to directly question the speakers and share their perspectives. Students also presented short scenarios for discussion, creating a more interactive session rather than a conventional lecture or political address.

The engagement provided an opportunity for the student leaders to raise issues they consider important to their generation and hear responses from politicians with experience in public office. The fourth session examined political participation and the expectations of young people. Discussions focused on political values, party renewal and responsible participation in Ghana’s democratic process.

The organisers said the session was intended to encourage young people to approach politics not o… Akuapem North Member of Parliament, Sammi Awuku, has urged young leaders to focus on responsibility rather than titles, saying leadership is defined by what a person is willing to carry and not the office they occupy. He made the call at The Ladder Project, a leadership and civic engagement event held at the Fountain Area of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) on Thursday, September 24.