Elisha Owusu Akyaw from University of Ghana and Macharia Njuguna from Strathmore University, Kenya, together emerged winners at the Grand Finale of the prestigious Accra Open Debate Championship at the Accra City Hall.

The two successfully opposed the motion: "This House believes that African States should extend dual citizenship to members of the African Diaspora including the right to vote and contest public office, regardless of the ability to satisfactorily trace their roots."

The 7th Accra Open Championship was sponsored by the National Youth Authority of Ghana and attracted debaters and adjudicators from across 15 universities in West, East and Southern Africa.

The five-day event begun on 20th August and ended on 24th August, 2021.

Jacob Garshong and Addo-Obeng Opoku-Agyeman from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology also emerged winners of the Novice category whilst Jahmai Aikings of University of Cape Coast took home the Best Public Speaker award.

Erasmus Segbefia from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology and Ishmael Abakah from Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development also won Best Speaker (Main) and Best Speaker (Novice) respectively.

The annual Accra Open Debate Championship in its 7th edition continued to highlight the core values of Pan-Africanism and maintain its essence as the foremost platform for intellectual contests among young people in Africa.

Mrs. Akosua Manu, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority and special guest of honor at the grand finale commended the organizers for providing such a platform to enhance youth engagement and capacity building in the country.

She also assured Ghanaian youth of the commitment from the National Youth Authority towards youth development centered initiatives in the country that are in line with the authority's goals.

Mr. Eric Asamoah Awuah, the founder and Executive Director of Speech Forces, the organization behind the Accra Open Debate Championship, thanked the National Youth Authority for supporting the event.

He also appealed to civil society groups and corporate Ghana to support initiatives like the Accra Open.

He stated that these initiatives are necessary for promoting thoughtful leadership and active citizens in Africa.