Accra, Ghana//-Speakers at the second edition of the Ghana Philanthropy Conference (GPC) are of the firm conviction that the annual conference can rekindle the fast-disappearing spirit of volunteerism in the country.
To this end, they urged the organisers of the GPC to continue to organise the event to change the mindset of the Ghanaian youth towards engaging in philanthropic activities and volunteer their time, energy, and resources for the socio-economic development of Ghana.
Speaking on Volunteerism as a Civic Action’ during the opening of the two-day conference in Accra, Reverend Father Andrew Campbell, the keynote speaker, encouraged the young people to come together to build the country for themselves and the next generations.
“Ghana needs people who have time for others. People who have love for others to work together to grow the country for all”.
He also urged them not to relent in giving back to their communities, emphasising: “The happiest people in the world are those who share and volunteer for others”.
Acknowledging that Ghana is facing a severe form of illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey, which is destroying water bodies, the environment, and the vegetation of the country, he therefore called for responsible mining.
According to Rev Fr Campbell, responsible mining is the surest way to protect the water bodies, the environment, and the vegetation, as well as stop the plunder of the country’s gold resources for now and for the future.
In a speech read for the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif said the government was committed to supporting the youth to contribute their quota for the growth and development of the country.
In his welcome address, the Vice Chair of the Governing Council of STAR Ghana Foundation, Charles Abugri, said philanthropy and volunteerism portend well for the country and its communities.
He said the maiden GPC, which was held in 2023 and focused on philanthropy, had confirmed that Ghanaians are a giving people, and so the idea of 70% of Ghanaians giving for charity reasons showed that “we generally give”.
“Most of us sitting here care for more than ourselves and our immediate families. We are making contributions to other people’s lives. We are making contributions to healthcare” and other sectors of the Ghanaian economy, Mr Abugri added.
In a panel discussion which was made up of the Dean of the University of Ghana Business School, Professor Justice Bawole; Human Resource Projects Manager at the African Union Commission, Victor Paa-Kwesi Mensah; Programs Manager of Central Leadership Program at the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), Ewurama Bennin; and Grace Waingi, Executive Director of Nairobi-based Kenyan Development Community Foundation, all agreed that volunteerism which is an act of kindness towards humanity could empower the youth with skills and knowledge that could be harnessed for the development of Ghana and Africa.
The conference was organised by the STAR Ghana Foundation in collaboration with the University of Ghana’s Centre for Social Policy Studies (UG- CSPS), National Youth Authority, Ghana Philanthropy Forum, West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI), Ghana Civil Society Platform on SDGs, and Philanthropy Ghana.
The annual conference serves as a platform for dialogue on key issues facing the sector, promoting both horizontal and vertical networking and facilitating coordinated actions on critical matters.
