Vice-President advises students against academic dishonesty
The Vice-President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has advised the youth against academic dishonesty, describing it as not a minor mistake, but an early warning sign of deeper societal problems.
At the 2026 Gospel and Power Conference of the Pentecost Students and Associates (PENSA) Ghana, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said that when young people, especially students, normalise shortcuts in classrooms, they often carry such tendencies into professional life.
“A system shows its values in what it declares and in what it allows. Academic dishonesty is not a minor mistake; it is an early warning sign.
Nations do not stumble because their citizens lack intelligence, but rather when standards decline, and character becomes optional,” she said.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang consequently urged the youth to be positively ambitious not just to qualify, but to be ready to build.
Conference
The three-day conference at Gomoa Fetteh in the Central Region spanned January 1 to January 4 this year, and took place simultaneously across multiple centres, including at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Mines and Technology, University of Cape Coast, and University for Development Studies.
It brought together more than 13,000 students across the country.
It was attended by the Policy Advisor on Political Affairs at the Office of the Vice-President, Dr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo; the Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, and Elders and leaders of the Church of Pentecost.
The Youth Ministry of the church later presented a citation to the Vice-President, thanking her for her presence and pledging to uphold her counsel.
Leadership
The Vice-President said ambition disconnected from values could be dangerous.
“Ghana’s next stage requires both credentials and initiative. We need people who see gaps as invitations, problems as starting points and uncertainty as space for innovation,” she said.
“What you practise now, in small and seemingly private ways, establishes the patterns that later govern public life,” she added.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang urged students and young leaders to recognise leadership opportunities in everyday campus life.
She urged them to see leadership and academic excellence as lifelong disciplines rooted in strong values.
“Leadership does not start with titles, and academic achievement does not begin with certificates.
They are cultivated intentionally and rooted in a set of core values,” she said.
She explained that university education went beyond acquiring knowledge and that it was also about shaping character.
“Your academic journey will test you with exhaustion, confusion and doubt.
Some courses push you beyond your comfort zone, and some assessments challenge your confidence.
These moments are not interruptions to excellence; they are its training ground,” she said.
Student leaders
The Vice-President urged student leaders to use the resources they mobilised in the interest of all, with particular attention to the most vulnerable.
She encouraged young leaders to look beyond their own concerns and recognise those who support society quietly, including parents, labourers, drivers and cleaners, as well as persons living with disabilities, mental health challenges or abuse.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang urged students to use their educational privilege to improve the lives of others, describing such service as God’s work.
Appreciation
Apostle Nyamekye thanked the Vice-President for honouring the invitation.
He described the church as a global body with a membership of over 4.8 million.
He said the reach of the programme extended far beyond Ghana, estimating that at least one million people across the world watched and listened to the event in real time.
The Chairman of the Church of Pentecost said the widespread participation reflected the church’s growing impact and the strong interest in the programme’s message.
