The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-Ghana) has organised a week-long maiden democracy and governance boot camp on the theme, “Equipping tomorrow’s influencers,” for teenage students from across Ghana.

The thirty-four second cycle student campers guided by ten staffers, were moulded into change agents who would challenge the status quo and imbibe good leadership and democratic principles in their colleagues and spheres of influence.

Dr Franklin Oduro, Deputy Director, CDD-Ghana, said: “The Democracy and Governance Boot Camp was realized as essential after observing a dangerous decline in ethical and moral leadership across every sector of society in Ghana.”

According to him, the students’ engagements included community outreach projects, taking students to the Tema fishing harbour, Sisters of Charity Orphanage and the Tema Community One market.

“The idea of students engaging with the various communities and observing some peculiar challenges communities may face, allowed students to be innovative, question, reflect access structures and exhibit admirable problem solving skills paramount for leadership,” he said.

Dr Oduro said: “The multi-talented and skilled resource persons who served as mentors, imparting knowledge and skills into students, sought to effectively inspire and motivate students to exhibit effective leadership and become change agents. Lessons plans for the camp allowed students to improve upon communication skills and public speaking techniques.”

He advised the boot campers to utilize all the skill sets acquired and pursue the path of change agents and leaders wherever they went.

“Take away from the camp the hard work, integrity empathy and ethical leadership which are vital tools required to challenge the status quo and leave your footprints in the sands of time,” he said.

Mr Titi Offei, Principal SOS-Hermann Gmeiner International College, charged the students to stake their claim by speaking and acting to their peers about vital things adding” change things around you else things will be worse when you grow up.”