The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Senior High School was adjudged winner in the inaugural ACE Spoken Words Inter-Schools Competition held on Friday (18 May).
Competing against formidable opponents such as Prempeh College, Osei Tutu Senior High School and Yaa Asantewaa Girls Senior High School, KNUST Senior High stood out to claim the coveted title.
The event, organised by American Corner-Kumasi in collaboration with ACE Consult, served as a platform for young voices to articulate their thoughts on Ghana’s upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections through the medium of spoken word.
Representatives from the four schools captivated the audience at the grand finale held at KNUST’s College of Engineering auditorium. They delved into the history of Ghana’s democracy, emphasised participatory democracy, and denounced vote-buying tactics employed by some political actors.
Their performances mesmerised the crowd, drawing applause for their eloquence and creativity. Some highlighted the importance of citizen accountability and the power of the electorate to shape the nation’s future.
Kevin Brosnahan, Press Attaché for the US embassy in Ghana, underscored the significance of elections in a democracy, emphasizing the responsibility of citizens to vote wisely and demand accountability from their elected leaders.
“This year is an election year, both in the United States and Ghana, and young people must be engaged, understand, and participate in democracy. It was an idea from Marilyn, Ace Consult to turn this spoken word contest and add the theme of democracy and elections, it went well. The kids learned a lot of information and told us what they’ve learned,” he stated.
Marilyn Owusu, CEO of ACE Consult, expressed the initiative’s aim to cultivate confident and articulate young leaders equipped with a deep understanding of Ghana’s political landscape.
Prospera Dahamani and Jonathan Davidson with the KNUST Senior High School and overall, Ashanti regional winners of the ace spoken word contest received a trophy, a token amount of money worth GHC5,000, citation for patrons, automatic membership of the Education USA scholar’s programme for contestants and other notable awards.
“This competition has not been an easy one for us because we have struggled a lot, especially regarding the topic we were given, which was elections in Ghana. Elections are the only peaceful way of selecting leaders for a country. And so, this year, I’d like to tell Ghanaians that when they go to the polls, they should peacefully select leaders who they are convinced will help build the nation. And not vote for people based on their denomination or tribe,” they said.
SOURCE: DAILY MAIL GH
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