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Youth must be part of decision-making today – Hopeson Adorye tells young diplomats
The Global Board Chairman of the International Youth Network, Hopeson Adorye, has charged young diplomats to become bridge-builders and ambassadors of peace in their communities.
He made the call at the Diplomacy Training Programme Graduation Ceremony in Accra on Friday, October 17, 2026, held under the theme “Empowering Young Diplomats for Peace, Leadership and Inclusive Decision-Making.”
Congratulating the graduates, Mr. Adorye said the ceremony was not just about certificates but about “knowledge acquired, capacity developed, leadership strengthened, and a commitment renewed to serving humanity.”
He told the graduates they were leaving not simply as trained diplomats, but as potential ambassadors of peace, dialogue, tolerance and responsible leadership.
Highlighting UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security, adopted in December 2015, he explained that the resolution recognizes young people as active partners in preventing conflict and building sustainable peace, not just beneficiaries.
The resolution, he noted, rests on five pillars: Participation, Protection, Prevention, Partnerships, and Disengagement and Reintegration.
“Participation means young people must have a meaningful voice in decisions affecting their lives. Young people should not be invited to meetings merely to fill seats. The youth must not only be the future of decision-making; they must be part of decision-making today,” he stressed.
Mr.Adorye defined diplomacy as the art of listening, negotiating, building trust and finding common ground, saying the greatest victory is preventing a disagreement from becoming a conflict.
He urged the graduates to reject violence and promote understanding across political, religious and ethnic divides.
“When others promote division, promote dialogue. When others encourage hatred, demonstrate tolerance. When others seek revenge, advocate reconciliation,” he said.
He challenged them to take the principles of Resolution 2250 into schools, universities, workplaces and local assemblies, and to advocate for youth representation.
He reminded the gathering that there can be no sustainable peace if young voices are excluded from decisions that shape their future.
He tasked the graduates with three responsibilities: to be responsible voices for peace, advocates for meaningful youth participation, and agents of practical change in their homes and communities.
“The true measure of this training will not be the certificates you hold; it will be the difference you make,” he added.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Sammy Ayeh has picked up nomination forms to contest for the position of Deputy National Communications Officer position.
Announcing his intention, Dr. Ayeh said he is offering himself to help communicate the party’s vision clearly and connect its message with the aspirations of Ghanaians.
He expressed deep gratitude to the party’s National Communications Officer, Lawyer Sammy Gyamfi, describing him as an able leader on whose shoulders he has risen.
“His exceptional leadership, mentorship and confidence in me have shaped my journey and strengthened my resolve to serve,” Dr. Ayeh stated.
He said if elected, he will seek to build on that foundation by strengthening research-driven communication, empowering grassroots communicators, and enhancing strategic media engagement.
Dr. Ayeh humbly appealed to party members and supporters for their support.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The Data Protection Commission has called on the Minority Caucus in Parliament, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, JoyNews and other media houses to protect the personal information of 1,964 Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa.
In a press release issued on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, the Commission expressed concern over the public disclosure of the evacuees’ personal details, including their names, signatures and records of financial assistance received.
It warned that making such information public could expose the affected individuals to identity theft, fraud and other forms of harm, especially given the threats to their safety that some of them may have faced.
The Commission explained that the 1992 Constitution protects the dignity and privacy of every individual. It also cited the Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843), which sets out rules for the lawful collection, use and disclosure of personal information.
While acknowledging the importance of transparency, parliamentary oversight, the right to information and press freedom, the Commission stressed that these principles do not automatically justify the unrestricted publication of personal details.
It said the disclosure of the records by the Minority Caucus, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, JoyNews and other media organisations must be assessed based on the law, the purpose of the disclosure and the privacy rights of the individuals involved.
The Commission further noted that although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Parliament are registered data controllers in good standing, their registration does not exempt them from their legal responsibilities under the Data Protection Act.
It has therefore urged all the parties involved to take appropriate steps to protect the affected individuals, including immediately restricting access to or removing personal details from publicly available records where their continued disclosure is not legally justified.
The Commission announced plans to conduct a regulatory review to determine whether the disclosures had a lawful basis, what safeguards were applied and whether the privacy rights of the evacuees had been adequately protected.
It said it would engage the relevant parties as part of the review and take appropriate regulatory action if any breach of the law is established.
The Commission reiterated that protecting personal information and respecting human dignity must remain central to efforts to promote public accountability.
By: Jacob Aggrey
