The Board Chairman of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre and former Minister of State, Hon. Akwasi Opong Fosu, has called on the new leadership of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) to remain neutral and work in the interest of all Ghanaian students, both at home and abroad.
He urged the leadership to prioritise impact over personal recognition, stressing the need for a leadership approach that reflects the aspirations of the wider student population.
Hon. Opong Fosu made the call when the 59th NUGS executive, led by President Rashid Ibrahim, paid a courtesy call on him at his office. The visit was aimed at formally introducing the current NUGS leadership to the GIPC Board Chair and exploring possible partnerships for projects the student body intends to roll out.
Explaining the purpose of the visit, Mr. Ibrahim said the engagement formed part of NUGS’ mandate to seek institutional support for its programmes. “It is part of our responsibility that once elected, we visit institutions where we believe we can access support for our projects,” he stated.
Hon. Opong Fosu commended the initiative and assured the delegation of GIPC’s readiness to support credible and impactful student projects. He highlighted the Centre’s renewed commitment to linking student initiatives with potential investors, with particular emphasis on decentralising investment opportunities beyond Accra.
Drawing on his extensive experience in public service and governance, Hon. Opong Fosu expressed concern about what he described as a drift in Ghana’s leadership culture. He contrasted the current environment, which he said is marked by individualism, materialism, and postelection competition for positions, with earlier periods of strong and unified student activism.
“During our time, it was quite turbulent, but there were no partisan organisations on campus. NUGS spoke with one voice,” he recalled. He cautioned the current executives to maintain neutrality, saying, “We have partisan groups and they should function, but as NUGS, you must continue to project a neutral voice.”
He described the growing tendency towards transactional leadership as troubling, noting that it often places personal gain above collective progress.
“As a country, we have moved to the extreme of individualism and material gains. It is about who gets what. Once a party is elected, active members begin fighting for positions, and that creates tension,” he observed.
The GIPC Board Chairman encouraged NUGS to ground its work in impact, nationalism, and patriotism, values he described as essential for sustainable leadership and national development.
President Rashid Ibrahim, in response, outlined NUGS’ vision, which includes entrepreneurship initiatives aimed at empowering students in Ghana and the diaspora. He noted that the engagement aligns with the union’s ongoing efforts to secure institutional backing for student led projects, particularly at a time of rising youth unemployment and increasing demand for innovation driven growth.
Hon. Opong Fosu welcomed the outreach, describing it as a positive first step. “It is a good beginning, and I am happy you have taken this initiative. There are many investors interested in doing business in Ghana. When you present your proposals, we will explore how we can facilitate discussions between you and such investors,” he assured.
He also drew attention to GIPC’s Regional Investment Opportunities Project, which seeks to shift investment focus from Accra to other regions with significant untapped potential. He encouraged NUGS to incorporate this decentralised approach into its proposals to enhance reach and inclusivity, in line with national strategies such as leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area for balanced economic growth.
Since his election in October 2025 and subsequent swearing in in December, President Rashid Ibrahim and the 59th NUGS administration have focused on inclusive representation, student welfare advocacy, and strategic partnerships. Recent initiatives include campus visits, such as engagements at the University of Ghana to welcome returning students, as well as commitments to address concerns over fee increments.
The meeting with GIPC forms part of this broader strategy of proactive engagement with government and investment institutions. It also follows recent recognitions of Hon. Opong Fosu’s leadership, including honours from student associations for his contributions to national development.
The interaction underscores the potential role of student unions as bridges between youthful innovation and national economic priorities. With region focused proposals and effective facilitation from GIPC, student ventures could gain access to funding, mentorship, and business networks, contributing to job creation and reduced rural urban migration.
Maintaining the non partisan stance advocated by Hon. Opong Fosu will be crucial in safeguarding NUGS’ credibility as a unified voice for Ghanaian students. As the leadership advances its agenda, such collaborations could set a model for future engagements, positioning young people as active contributors to Ghana’s development in the years ahead.
