This remark was made by the company's General Manager for Sustainability and Shared Value, Georgina A. Fiagbenu, at the 2026 National Youth Mentorship Summit organised by Success Africa Foundation under the theme "Youth Innovation & Wealth Creation: Shaping Ghana's Future."

Delivering a presentation on the theme "Sit Up, Show Up, and Shape Ghana's Future," Ms. Fiagbenu said that Ghana's future would largely depend on how well its young people prepared themselves for an increasingly competitive and technology-driven world.

She challenged participants to "sit up and show up with excellence," stressing that employers were looking beyond academic qualifications to individuals who demonstrated competence, discipline, reliability and a commitment to continuous learning.

Drawing from her own career journey, Ms. Fiagbenu said that the opportunities she had received came through competence, trust and recommendations rather than repeatedly submitting job applications, urging young people to make excellence a habit before opportunities emerged.

She also encouraged students to reduce distractions and spend more time building valuable skills, reading widely and creating solutions to real-life challenges instead of waiting for employment opportunities.

Highlighting entrepreneurship, she cited the Buz Stop Boys initiative as an example of how identifying and solving community problems could create impact and unlock new opportunities.

Ms. Fiagbenu further underscored the importance of character, responsibility and discipline, saying these values were just as important as academic achievement in shaping future leaders.

She also encouraged participants to take advantage of learning opportunities such as the MTN Ghana Foundation Skills Academy and other platforms that equip young people with practical and digital skills for the evolving world of work.

Sharing the story of her teenage daughter, who secured funding for a humanitarian photography project through initiative and preparation, she urged young people not to wait for opportunities but to prepare for them.

She concluded by encouraging students to develop their skills, strengthen their character and become solution-driven leaders, reminding them that Ghana's future would be shaped by the actions they took today.