Tema Senior High School emerged winners of the 2025 Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) Third Inter-Schools Debate competition organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Accra on Friday.The school obtained 402 points to defeat Ebenezer Senior High School (SHS), which obtained 360 points in the final round of the debate to win the ultimate prize.For winning the debate, Tema SHS received GH¢4,000 while Ebenezer SHS took away GH¢3,500.In addition to the GH¢4000, Tema SHS also received an amount of GH¢10,000 as a donation from the ECOWAS.Furthermore, Saint Thomas Aquinas SHS had GH¢3,500 for placing third position while Saint John's Grammar SHS, Accra Wes­ley Girls SHS and Labone SHS, got GH¢2,000 each, for securing the 4th, 5th, and 6th positions, respectively.The debate was contested in two rounds, with Tema SHS and Ebenezer SHS progressing to the final round after the two schools obtained 378 points and 379 points respectively after the first round ahead of St.

Thomas Aquinas SHS, St.

John's Grammar SHS, Accra Wesley Girls SHS, and Labone SHS.All the participating schools were awarded certificates, citations, and cash prizes for participating in the debate.In a speech read on his behalf, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said that, "ECOWAS has always been about building bridges and not walls.

It is about you cultivating op­portunities, not erecting barriers."He said ECOWAS ensured the smooth facilitation of trade among vibrant young entrepreneurs within the sub-region.Mr Ablakwa urged the young entrepreneurs in the sub-region to take advantage of trade facilitation provided by ECOWAS to promote their businesses."For you, the generation who will inherit and shape this ECOW­AS, the future is brimming with possibilities.