“The future belongs to those who prepare for it, and the future is not something we enter but something we create.”
In an era where national development hinges on bold ideas, integrity, and competent leadership, the role of young people in shaping Ghana’s future can no longer be underestimated. On Friday, 22nd August 2025, the Ghana School of Law (GSL), the only professional law training institution in the country, demonstrated that the seeds of responsible leadership are being sown right within its walls.
The Official Handing-Over and Swearing-In Ceremony, held at the Accra Main Campus, was more than a campus ritual. It was a declaration that the next generation of Ghana’s leaders is here, ready, and must be nurtured.
From the newly sworn-in SRC Executives to the dynamic Congress Members, and most notably, the newly elected Speaker of Congress, Rt Hon Ebenezer Sefa-Kissi, the message was clear: youth leadership is not a distant aspiration. It is a present opportunity and a responsibility that Ghana must take seriously.
It is often said that great leaders are not born; they are made. But becoming a great leader starts with being seen. When established leaders in politics, law, business, civil society and beyond take the time to identify promising young leaders, they plant the first seed of transformation.
Each of the individuals who took the oath of office at the GSL ceremony is a potential national asset. Their passion for service, their peer-driven mandates, and their bold vision for student governance across all GSL campuses—Makola, Kumasi, UPSA and GIMPA—are proof of their potential to lead beyond the campus environment.
But potential alone is not enough. They must be mentored. They must be guided. They must be groomed.
True leadership is about making decisions not for personal glory but for the greater good. It is about serving with conscience, not convenience. And that mindset does not come automatically; it must be taught.
Ghana’s development challenges—such as corruption, weak institutions, and short-term political thinking—will not be solved by textbooks alone. We need leaders who have been raised with a nation-first mindset, guided by mentors who have walked the path and understand the importance of integrity, patriotism and ethical governance.
That is why the SRC and Congress Members sworn into office must not only be given the room to serve — they must be invested in.
Imagine if every MP mentored a student leader. Imagine if every successful CEO took a young law student under their wing. Imagine if the nation stopped lamenting the quality of leadership and started shaping it from campuses like GSL.
That is the model Ghana must adopt. We must build leaders before we need them.
One of the most significant highlights of the GSL event was the election of Rt Hon Speaker Ebenezer Sefa-Kissi as the first Speaker of the 2025/2026 GSL Congress, just moments after the swearing-in ceremony. The Congress, modelled after Ghana’s national parliament, is the legislative wing of student government — tasked with oversight, policy formulation and representation. It is a training ground for parliamentary and national leadership.
Mr Sefa-Kissi’s election is no accident. It is the result of consistent service, competence, and a track record that reflects everything Ghana should look for in its next generation of leaders.
Credentials of Rt Hon Speaker Ebenezer Sefa-Kissi
- Chartered Insurance Practitioner licensed in both Ghana and the United Kingdom
- Part 1 student at the Ghana School of Law (GIMPA Campus)
- Deputy Class Representative – Group B
- LLB holder from GIMPA Law School
- First-Class Honours degree holder from the University of Ghana Business School
- Certified by the Chartered Insurance Institute of Ghana and the Chartered Insurance Institute, UK
- Former President of the Law Students’ Association, GIMPA
- Former President of the University of Ghana Business School
- Former Speaker of Congress, GIMPA SRC
- Vocal youth empowerment advocate, policy contributor, and civic educator
- Known for expertise in insurance and claims management, civic engagement, and political advocacy
Individuals like Sefa-Kissi are more than student leaders; they are polished professionals-in-training whose lives already reflect the qualities of responsible public servants. He is exactly the kind of young leader Ghana must invest in now.
As a country, we can no longer wait for crises to teach us the importance of leadership. We must build leadership pipelines deliberately, intentionally, and with urgency.
The Ghana School of Law has done its part by creating a democratic platform where young people can serve, lead, and be held accountable. But the rest of us—alumni, government officials, institutions and private sector players—must take the next step: identifying these leaders and mentoring them to maturity.
They must be taught to navigate complexity with clarity, manage people with empathy, and serve Ghana with selflessness. They must be made to understand that leadership is not about personal enrichment — it is about national sacrifice.
The 2025/2026 SRC and Congress at the Ghana School of Law represent a torch of hope, but like all potential, they must be refined. Let this not be the last time we hear of these names. Let them rise, not by chance, but by the deliberate investment of a nation ready to pass on the baton of excellence. Let us groom them now so that when Ghana calls tomorrow, they will not only answer, they will lead.
Because leadership is not a destiny; it is a decision. And Ghana must decide today to build her future leaders — now.