President John Dramani Mahama has unveiled a major regional education initiative that will see Ghana award 1,000 university scholarships to students from across the ECOWAS sub-region. The announcement came at the launch of the 50th Anniversary celebrations of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), held in Accra on today.
The landmark event, themed “Celebrating 50 Years of West African Unity and Integration”, brought together heads of state, government officials, and representatives of the ECOWAS Commission. It marks half a century of efforts to promote economic cooperation, political coordination, and regional solidarity among West African nations.
In his keynote address, President Mahama described the scholarship programme as a practical expression of solidarity and a long-term investment in regional unity.
“To mark this moment and strengthen regional bonds, Ghana is offering 1,000 scholarships to tertiary students from across the ECOWAS sub-region to study in our universities,” he announced. “This is not just a gesture. It is a bridge to a future where our young people will grow up seeing each other not as foreigners, but as partners.”
The scholarships will be coordinated by Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration in partnership with public universities across the country.
The programme aims to enhance educational exchange, foster cross-cultural understanding, and deepen people-to-people ties among the youth of ECOWAS member states.
President Mahama emphasized that diplomacy must go beyond conflict resolution and be used as a tool to promote peace, inclusion, and progress through tangible initiatives like education.
“Our drive for integration through diplomacy must extend to economic, social, and cultural areas,” he said.
“Whether it is harmonising trade negotiations or advancing cooperation in education and health, our diplomatic tools must always work in the service of our people.”
He urged ECOWAS leaders to take bold, practical steps to make the organization more relevant to the lives of ordinary citizens, especially the youth.
“Let us position our sub-region not only as a political and economic bloc but as a diplomatic anchor for the continent—a model of integration, dialogue, and peaceful co-existence,” President Mahama said.
As ECOWAS marks five decades of regional cooperation, the President’s announcement signals Ghana’s renewed commitment to fostering integration, unity, and shared development among West African nations.
The scholarship programme is expected to take off in the next academic year, offering opportunities for young scholars from across the region to pursue higher education in Ghana and build lasting bonds that transcend national borders.
