A lecturer at the Ashesi University and ADR expert, Dr. Enyonam Canice Kudonoo, has called on youth leaders to be peace builders and eschew corruption to promote development in Ghana.
Speaking at a two-day workshop on the theme ‘Peacebuilding for conflict prevention and management in the Greater Accra Region: The role of youth leaders”, Mrs. Kundonoo explained that in the face of youth unemployment, chieftaincy disputes, and resource-based disputes, youth leaders need to be equipped with dispute prevention skills for peaceful co-existence and sustainable development in the region.
The workshop funded by Ashesi University forms part of its Corporate Social Responsibility to instill ethical and entrepreneurial values in young people.
The organizational development consultant added that the training will develop leaders “who have values they stand for and when no one is talking, they will be able to stand regardless of the resistance they may face to eschew corruption. Those individuals will work towards preventing corruption.”
The participants, who were selected from youth organizations, churches, mosques, and educational institutions in the Greater Accra Region, also included Assemblymen and women from some communities.
The selected youth leaders will be sensitized on the importance of dialogue for dispute prevention that leads to peaceful co-existence and sustainable development in the region.
The Ashesi Youth Peacebuilding Project seeks to make sure “all the participants are youth leaders at certain levels. The program aims at empowering them with skills that will help to influence those in their community to become peaceful builders. When peace is promoted, which is a means to an end, it helps bring development, harmony and progress”, she added.
The program will further highlight key principles in dialogue (listening, respecting, suspending, voicing, and transparency) that promotes non-violence (positive) and consensus-building for dispute prevention, among others.
It will also highlight citizenship, effective communication, and leadership.