Ashesi’s debate team won second-place in the final of the first Inter-Collegiate Science Debate competition held in Accra in June 2012. The competition, organised by the Ghana Science Association as a contribution to encouraging more science discourse in Ghana, was organised in three rounds. Other teams that participated included those from University of Ghana (UG), Valley View University, Central University and Methodist University College.
Ashesi’s debate team was made up of Phoebe Amoako ’15, Akyere Graham ’15 and Michael Quansah ’14. The Ashesi team beat the Methodist and Central University teams in the first and second round respectively, and took on the team from University of Ghana in the final.
The two finalist teams debated on the topic: “The optimistic and often comforting scenarios expressed on herbal medicine in Ghana have unreliable basis and must be discouraged.” The Ashesi team argued for the motion, whilst the UG team argued against it.
When the results were tallied, Ashesi’s team lost by six points to the team from UG, chalking 263 points to UG’s 269. The Ashesi team congratulated their opponents for an excellent showing, and expressed hope that there could be more of such inter-collegiate engagement in the future.
“It was a great debate,” said Michael Quansah ’14, principal speaker for the team. “We have learned a lot throughout this competition, and we are looking forward to more engagement with the Ghanaian debate society.”
Kobina Graham, lecturer at Ashesi and the team’s supervisor, expressed his pride in the team, especially congratulating the freshmen. “Not only were they new to the Ashesi community, they were first time debaters. That despite the newness of the experience they managed to reach the finals shows what they are capable of.”
Congratulations to the team!
