Ghana Students Win Debate Crown, Head to Continental Final

A team of four university students just proved that Ghana's next generation is ready to lead the conversation on their country's future.

The University of Ghana captured the Shifting the Power Ghana Inter-University Debate Championship on March 3, defeating three other universities in a two-day competition at the British Council in Accra. Akua Afriyie Ofori Atta, Eugenia Atta-Sonno, Woelorm Agbedanu, and Mohammed Andani impressed judges with their blend of policy analysis and persuasive speaking.

The tournament brought together students from four universities to debate pressing issues facing their nation. Topics included local leadership, accountability, inclusive governance, and the future of public institutions.

The competition wasn't easy. "There was a lot we had to do as a team in preparation for all our rounds," said team member Woelorm Agbedanu after the win. "To an extent, we thought we might not even make it here."

The final round came down to a face-off between the University of Ghana and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. The winning team emerged with arguments that connected policy knowledge with real-world impact.

The Ripple Effect

The championship is part of something bigger. The Shifting the Power programme, supported by Comic Relief, the West Africa Civil Society Institute, and the STAR-Ghana Foundation, aims to amplify youth voices in civic conversations across the region.

Agbedanu urged his peers to step up. "Students often isolate themselves, but they should actively choose Ghana all the time," he said. "They should actively be involved in national issues and national discussions."

Nana Afadzinu, Executive Director of the West Africa Civil Society Institute, echoed that call with a challenge to young Ghanaians. "Ghana's strength does not lie in solutions imported from elsewhere," she said. "We already have these solutions within us in our people, in our local institutions, in our civic actors, and in our youth."

She emphasized that young people need courage to challenge traditional development models and design solutions that reflect their own communities' realities.

The University of Ghana team now prepares for the Pan-African Grand Final later this month in Accra, where they'll compete against university teams from Malawi and Zambia. The continental stage promises to showcase how students across Africa are rethinking power, governance, and development from the ground up.

Four students walked into a debate hall ready to prove their ideas matter, and they're walking out as national champions heading to represent an entire country.