Youth must use technology to build peaceful societies – Vice President

By: Eugene Dogbatse Atsu
Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has urged young people across West Africa to use technology responsibly and become active contributors to peace, unity, and development in the region.

Speaking at the 2026 West Africa Youth Day celebration on September 8, the Vice President noted that young people are growing up in a rapidly changing digital world where information, opinions, and misinformation can spread across borders within seconds.

She cautioned that while technology has created opportunities for learning, communication, and innovation, it can also be used to spread anger, prejudice, and falsehoods that threaten social cohesion.

“Young people now inhabit spaces where information, anger, prejudice and falsehood can cross borders in seconds,” she said.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, however, stressed that digital platforms also have the power to connect communities, expand access to knowledge, and create opportunities that previous generations could hardly have imagined.

“The same technology can also connect communities, spread knowledge, and create opportunities that previous generations could hardly have imagined,” she stated.

According to her, the key challenge facing young people is determining how these tools are used to promote understanding, cooperation, and peaceful coexistence.

She emphasized that building peaceful societies is not solely the responsibility of governments and institutions but also depends on the daily choices made by young people.

Addressing the youth directly, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang encouraged them to recognize the important role they play in shaping the future of the West African region.

“Never forget the difference you can make,” she told participants.

She explained that the friendships young people build, the seriousness with which they pursue education, the businesses they establish, and the professions they enter all contribute to the kind of society that emerges in the future.

She also highlighted the importance of responsible information sharing, constructive engagement during disagreements, and the willingness to collaborate with people from different backgrounds and perspectives.

“The information you choose to share, the way you handle disagreement, and the willingness to work with people beyond your own circles all contribute in different ways to the kind of region we will become,” she said.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang further acknowledged that governments, religious institutions, families, communities, and civil society organizations all have responsibilities in promoting peace and development. However, she stressed that young people possess a unique voice and contribution that cannot be overlooked.

She expressed hope that participants would leave the gathering inspired to apply the lessons learned and continue playing meaningful roles in advancing peace and progress across West Africa.

“I hope that when you go home, you will take with you more than the memory of a very successful gathering,” she concluded.