Presidential hopeful of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), Selma Yoda, says student leadership must focus on preparing young people for the realities they will face after leaving school.
According to her, university education should not only equip students with academic knowledge but also provide them with practical skills and opportunities that can help them earn a living after graduation.
Sitting down with Desmond Okraku Danso on Metro TV’s Good Afternoon Ghana on Monday, August 31, 2026, Ms Yoda said unemployment remains a major concern for young people and should be part of the conversation around student welfare.
“Life goes beyond that. Unemployment is an issue in our country. So when we are done and we come back home, what can we do after that?”
She believes students should be exposed to practical opportunities while still in school, rather than waiting until graduation before thinking about employment.
NUGS must regain students’ trust and visibility – Selma Yoda
“So practical things, practical things that will equip us so that when we are done with school and we come back home, even in school, we can start something.”
Ms Yoda said NUGS could work with existing government programmes to create opportunities for students who want to develop businesses or acquire vocational and technical skills.
She cited the National Apprenticeship Programme and other government initiatives as possible areas where NUGS could build partnerships for the benefit of students.
“…There’s the National Apprenticeship Program and the SEED. I think SEED even focuses mainly on the student.”
Beyond creating access to such programmes, she said NUGS should also find ways to support students who are already running businesses while in school.
“You realize that some of the ladies, they have businesses that they are doing. And how do we equip them? How do we help them with these businesses?”
NUGS presidential hopeful calls for dedicated body to tackle student accommodation crisis
Ms Yoda said the issue was particularly important for female students, who she believes should have access to opportunities that can make them economically independent.
Her proposal forms part of her vision for NUGS that she says should address the practical challenges students face both during their education and after graduation.
According to her, the role of student leadership should therefore extend beyond campus politics to helping students build lives and livelihoods beyond the university environment.
“I always believe in service above self. So for now, my focus is on Ghanaian students. My focus is serving the Ghanaian student.”
