‘Character, not degrees, makes great leaders’ - Afriyie-Ankrah

The Presidential Envoy for Interfaith and Ecumenical Relations, Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, has challenged Ghana’s newest generation of Master’s and Doctoral graduates to move beyond academic qualifications and build their lives around character, integrity, innovation and service.

He warned that while degrees could open doors to professional opportunities, it was character that would determine whether graduates earned the trust and respect necessary to remain influential.

“Knowledge gives you competence. Character gives you credibility,” he declared at the Valley View University PhD and Graduate Students’ Graduation Banquet held in Accra on Saturday, August 29, 2026.

Afriyie-Ankrah said the world had no shortage of highly educated people but was desperately searching for individuals who could be trusted to lead with integrity.

He urged the Class of 2026 to regard their graduation not as the conclusion of their academic journey but as the beginning of a greater responsibility to their communities and country.

“Do not simply consume Artificial Intelligence. Build with it. Do not merely scroll through social media. Solve problems through innovation,” he said.

He noted that technology could write reports, increase productivity and predict human behaviour, but could not manufacture integrity, honesty or wisdom.

“The world does not reward information. It rewards solutions,” he stressed, urging the graduates to use their expertise to address Ghana’s pressing challenges.

Afriyie-Ankrah also used the occasion to make a strong appeal for the protection of Ghana’s religious harmony, following recent incidents which had the potential to create tensions between Christian and Muslim communities.

He commended the Inspector-General of Police and the Ghana Police Service, as well as Christian and Muslim leaders, for their professionalism, maturity and restraint in helping to prevent isolated incidents from escalating.

According to him, Ghana’s peace was a national asset built collectively over generations by governments, religious communities, traditional authorities, civil society and ordinary citizens.

He therefore called for zero tolerance for religious intolerance, incitement and extremism, irrespective of who was responsible.

“Use your knowledge to unite rather than divide. Use your influence to build bridges rather than walls,” he advised.

Reflecting on his years of teaching and mentoring young people, Afriyie-Ankrah said his greatest satisfaction had come not from financial rewards but from seeing people become better because of his influence.

He urged the graduates to measure their lives by the positive impact they made on others.

“Never confuse success with significance. Success is about what you achieve; significance is about who becomes better because you lived,” he said.

“Your greatest achievement may never be the company you build. It may be the people you inspire,” he added.

He concluded by urging the Class of 2026 to allow their knowledge to produce innovation, their character to inspire confidence and their leadership to strengthen the nation.

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