Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang Urges Students to Pursue Leadership and Academic Excellence

Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has called on Ghanaian students to intentionally cultivate leadership and academic excellence grounded in strong values, discipline, and integrity.

She made the call during an engagement with thousands of students at the PENSA (Pentecost Students and Associates) Ghana Conference held at Gomoa Fetteh. The conference was organised simultaneously at five centres across the country and brought together young people from various tertiary institutions.

Speaking on the theme “Achieving Leadership and Academic Excellence,” the Vice President emphasised that excellence does not occur by chance but is the product of deliberate effort, consistency, and character. She encouraged students to view intellectual strain, uncertainty, and doubt not as barriers but as essential training grounds that build credibility, resilience, and discipline.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang cautioned strongly against academic dishonesty, describing it as more than a minor offence. According to her, dishonest academic practices are early warning signs of declining standards and often reflect how individuals may conduct themselves in public life. She reminded students that actions taken in private often shape behaviour in leadership and public service.

Addressing student leaders in particular, the Vice President stressed that leadership must always prioritise the collective good, especially the needs of the vulnerable in society. She urged them to recognise their privilege and use their education to uplift others, including persons living with disabilities.

She further encouraged the youth to embrace entrepreneurship and innovation, noting that Ghana’s next phase of development will depend not only on academic credentials but also on initiative, creativity, and the ability to turn ideas into solutions, research into impact, and skills into economic value.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang also had a special message for young women, urging them to remain confident in their abilities and grounded in their values. She stressed that their presence in leadership spaces is both earned and essential, even in the face of unequal expectations.

In conclusion, the Vice President reminded the students that the future does not begin after graduation but is being shaped now. She noted that academic excellence is a discipline rather than a performance, and the Ghana the nation seeks to build will require responsibility, integrity, and service from its young people.