The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, has urged students across the country to use their voices as tools for positive change—spea
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, has urged students across the country to use their voices as tools for positive change—speaking up for the voiceless and confronting injustice wherever it exists.
He said young people must view public speaking not merely as a skill, but as a calling to inspire change, defend the vulnerable, and promote a society rooted in dignity and justice.
“See it as a calling to use your voice responsibly—speak to influence, speak for the voiceless, challenge injustice, and advocate for a Ghana that upholds the dignity and rights of all its people,” Mr. Bagbin stated.
His message was delivered on his behalf by the Member of Parliament for Akatsi North and Chairman of Parliament’s Education Committee, Peter Kwasi Nortsu-Kotoe, during the launch of the 2025 National Public Speaking Competition (NPSC) in Accra on Thursday, October 13, 2025.
The 6th edition of the NPSC, themed “Sexual and Reproductive Health of the Adolescent Child,” seeks to harness students’ oratory skills to promote civic awareness, critical thinking, leadership, and national development.
Mr. Bagbin commended the NPSC as one of Ghana’s most inspiring youth initiatives, describing it as “a platform where intellect, confidence, and empathy intersect.” He emphasized that safeguarding adolescent sexual and reproductive health was a shared national duty essential to nurturing informed and morally grounded future leaders.
“As Parliament, we will continue to open our doors to young people, listen to their voices, and support programmes that strengthen civic education, public dialogue, and youth leadership. It is only when the youth find their voices that democracy finds its strength,” he said.
The Deputy Director-General for Management Services at the Ghana Education Service (GES), Professor Smile Gavua Dzisi, warned that challenges surrounding adolescent sexual and reproductive health posed serious risks to the nation’s future—citing alarming rates of teenage pregnancies, early sexual activity, and sexual violence. She described the situation as a “ticking time bomb” eroding young lives and national productivity.
She urged the media, religious, and traditional leaders to engage openly on the issue while championing digital literacy and economic empowerment for vulnerable youth.
The MP for Madina, Francis-Xavier Sosu, expressed concern over the rise in teenage pregnancies and defilement cases, describing them as grim realities threatening Ghana’s youth. Meanwhile, NPP MP for Weija-Gbawe and Second Deputy Minority Whip, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, lauded the NPSC as a “transformative laboratory of leadership” shaping the next generation of changemakers.