ECOWAS encourages integrity among Liberian youth

The ECOWAS Envoy in Liberia believes that if Africa embraces sustainable development, everyone must work desperately to make it happen. She challenges Liberian youth to have a sense of integrity.

By Lincoln G. Peters 

Monrovia, March 26, 2024: The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Resident Representative to Liberia Amb. Josephine Nkrumah is encouraging Liberian youths to be self-disciplined, law-abiding, and have a sense of integrity. 

She delivered a keynote speech on Tuesday, March 26th, 2024, in Monrovia, during the celebration of the ECOWAS Volunteers Programme Debate Championship.

The ECOWAS envoy stressed that the regional bloc is investing in the younger generation so that Africa can excel.

According to Amb. Nkrumah, youth investing in themselves is immensely important for Africa’s continual development.

“I want you to go from this room at the end of today’s event fully appreciating and understanding that your role is [of] critical importance,” she said. 

“If you want to succeed in everything you do, you have to get out of your comfort zone. Be self-disciplined, law-abiding, and have a sense of integrity,” she urged. 

Amb. Nkrumah encouraged the youth to pursue excellence to advance to success, adding that ECOWAS has placed a premier on volunteers and youth advancement.

She further stressed that the youth must develop a mindset to succeed.  She suggested that if Africa is going to embrace sustainable development, all must work desperately to make it happen.

“If we do not apply ourselves we will never move out of the path of poverty,” she warned. 

Amb. Nkrumah explained that volunteers must cultivate the spirit of patriotism, which is an important pillar of Liberia’s progress.

 According to her, the international community will not change Liberia and Africa at large, noting that the difference begins with the youth.  

On Tuesday, 26 March 2024, ECOWAS held a day-long symposium at the A. M. Kyne Collegiate Resource Center in Monrovia. 

The initiative is the Volunteers Programme Debate Championship. The program was organized under the theme: “Empowering Youth for Sustainable Development in the ECOWAS Region.”

It brought together representatives from the Ministry of Education, United Nations Volunteers, as well as dozens of students from several high schools across Montserrado County 

Also, dozens of young people, the majority of whom were students, gathered to celebrate the fourteenth anniversary of the ECOWAS Volunteers Programme, an occasion that holds great significance for youth empowerment and the sustainability of the ECOWAS region.

Earlier making a special statement, Alhaji Nouhan Kamara, Country Coordinator EVP Liberia, described volunteerism as a powerful force to selflessly give time, skills, and resources to support and uplift the communities 

He said the ECOWAS region, specifically Liberia, has witnessed firsthand the affirmative power of volunteerism during the EBOLA and COVID-19 pandemics.

He said volunteers played a key role in addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges during those pandemics.

Outlining some of the benefits of volunteerism, Mr. Kamara narrated that when people volunteer, they acquire new skills, expand their knowledge, and gain a deeper understanding of the challenges.

He said they develop empathy, resilience, and a sense of purpose that enriches their own lives.

“They have been at the forefront of empowering communities, promoting sustainable development initiatives.”

“Today, as we celebrate ECOWAS Volunteers Day, let us honor and recognize the incredible contribution of volunteers across our region,” he said.

He noted, “Let us encourage and support those who are already engaged in volunteer activities and inspire others to join this noble cause.”