President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana has announced that Ghana will offer 1,000 scholarships to university students from across the ECOWAS sub-region, as part of the efforts to strengthen regional ties through education and shared experiences.
Speaking at the launch of the 50th anniversary celebrations of ECOWAS in Accra on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, President Mahama said: “To mark this moment and strengthen regional bonds, Ghana is offering a thousand scholarships to tertiary students from across the ECOWAS sub-region to study in our universities.”
According to him, the initiative is a practical step towards building unity among West African youth.
“This is not just a gesture,” he said. “It is a bridge to a future where our young people will grow up seeing each other not as foreigners but as partners.”
President Mahama stressed that diplomacy should not be limited to resolving disputes, but must also include creating conditions for peace, inclusion and progress. He called for greater investment in youth and education as a means of strengthening regional ties.
“Our drive for integration through diplomacy must extend to economic, social and cultural areas, “Whether it is harmonising trade negotiations or advancing cooperation in education and health, our diplomatic tools must always work in the service of our people,” he said.
He explained that the scholarship programme will be implemented in partnership with Ghana’s public universities and coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.
According to local media reports, Mahama also urged the leaders to take practical steps to make the regional bloc more relevant to citizens, especially the youth.
GIK/APA