New cohort of PK Amoabeng Scholars Programme embark on leadership journey

Ghana is quietly witnessing a remarkable shift in the way leadership is cultivated. At a time when the word is used far more often than it is demonstrated, the PK Amoabeng Scholars Programme is emerging as a transformative force, reshaping the mindsets, values and capacities of the country’s future decision makers.

Founded by business magnate and retired military captain Prince Kofi Amoabeng, the programme has evolved into one of Ghana’s most demanding and respected pathways for grooming ethical, courageous and value-driven leaders.

This year’s Cohort 3, made up of twenty young and inspired leaders, has stepped into a journey many of them describe as life changing.

A selection process that tests character, discipline and purpose

The programme’s entry requirements depart sharply from the usual emphasis on academic performance or corporate seniority. Instead, applicants are assessed on character, discipline, clarity of purpose and readiness for growth.

Prospective scholars were taken through a rigorous multi-stage process that demanded deep introspection and authenticity. The evaluation involved a personal statement, letters of recommendation, a leadership video pitch, an online encounter with Captain Amoabeng, and a final panel review.

Scholars noted that every step felt less like a test and more like a mirror, revealing not only who they were but who they could become. For many, selection into the cohort felt less like a victory and more like the beginning of an entirely new responsibility.

Induction Day: A call to a higher standard

The induction ceremony, held on Friday 28 November 2025, set a defining tone for the cohort. Dr Pascal Brenya, one of the programme’s key facilitators, encouraged the scholars to embrace adaptability and responsibility.

He reminded them that if they disliked an outcome, they should commit to changing it; and if they could not change it, they should change their perception of it. He urged them to “strive for the best without becoming entitled.”

The cohort also adopted the rallying chant taught by Dr Pascal: “PK Scholars”, to which the collective response is “The Hope of Africa.” It is accompanied by a rhythmic clap declaring “We are the team that wins”, which has already become the unifying spirit of the group.

During the induction, Captain Amoabeng reiterated his philosophy that leadership is not a title but a lifestyle anchored in values. He stressed integrity, respect for systems, courage, selflessness and a rediscovery of the principles that once defined Ghana’s excellence.

The jungle warfare school ordeal

Shortly after induction, Cohort 3 was taken through an intense seven-day immersion at the Seth Anthony Jungle Warfare Training School in Akim Achiase, Ghana’s most formidable military training centre.

The institution is renowned for preparing Ghanaian and allied forces for combat, survival and leadership in extreme environments. For a cohort largely accustomed to meetings, laptops and structured professional routines, the jungle environment became both teacher and test.

Throughout the week, scholars endured early morning drills, demanding navigation exercises, survival simulations, strict discipline routines, team challenges that exposed strengths and vulnerabilities, high- pressure decision-making tasks and significant emotional and mental endurance assessments.

The programme also highlighted outstanding individual performances. In one of the marksmanship exercises, Lady Rita Bruce-Attuquayefio distinguished herself by emerging as the top shooter, a moment that strengthened the cohort’s morale and exemplified the programme’s emphasis on precision, focus and composure under pressure.

Scholars explained that the training did more than stretch them physically; it reshaped their understanding of leadership entirely.

The jungle stripped leadership back to its essentials and revealed that timing is a matter of discipline, not convenience; resilience is developed, not desired; credibility is earned, not assumed; and the true test of leadership is the ability to remain calm when everything around them attempts to provoke panic.

Why this programme matters for Ghana

The PK Amoabeng Leadership Foundation aims to build leaders who embody discipline, competence, courage and ethical conviction.

Captain Amoabeng has stressed that Ghana stands at a critical crossroads and urgently needs institutional leaders with integrity, business leaders with skill, community leaders with compassion and national leaders willing to choose the harder right over the easier wrong.

By combining military-style precision with business discipline, emotional intelligence and practical mentorship, the programme is filling a longstanding gap: the deliberate grooming of leaders grounded in values rather than status.

As Cohort 3 transitions into the next phase of mentorship and development, one truth stands firm among them: Leadership is not about standing in front. It is about becoming worth following.