Youth invaluable asset to devt — New Juaben MCE
This year’s Ghana Youth Summit has taken place in Koforidua.
The two-day national gathering was held on the theme: "Harnessing The Power of Youth for transformative Development".
It was attended by over 500 young leaders, policymakers, civil society representatives and private sector actors.
The event, which was organised under the Action for Youth Development (AfYD) Project, was convened by STAR-Ghana Foundation in partnership with Youth Advocates Ghana, Kofkro Partners, the New Juaben South Municipal Assembly and the National Youth Authority (NYA) with support from BOTNAR Foundation.
The summit aimed to create a platform for young people to engage meaningfully with decision-makers, share experiences and co-create sustainable solutions to local and national development challenges.
It was also to build a network of young leaders as problem solvers and innovators.
Ghana's history
Addressing the gathering, the Head of Programmes of STAR-GHANA Foundation, Eunice Agbenyadzi, said Ghana's history had shown that young people always stood at the forefront of change.
Ms Agbenyadzi noted that the youth, having learnt about various aspects of nation-building over the years, had mobilised, organised and continued to ask critical questions in that regard.
She emphasised that Ghana’s independence story was shaped by the courage and imagination of young people through student movements such as the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) and other youth organisations.
Active agents
For instance, Ms Agbenyadzi cited the 1980s when students of the University of Ghana, Legon, challenged oppressors and agitated for a return to democratic rule.
She told the gathering that STAR-GHANA had, therefore, been promoting active citizenship because they were the type of citizens who built a nation.
She further explained that development woul become sustainable when citizens served as active agents of national progress, adding that they could hold public institutions accountable by participating fully in the decision-making process.
Shaping future
For his part, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for New Juaben South, Ransford Owusu Boakye, said in all parts of the world, including Ghana, young people had been shaping the future through technology, entrepreneurship, the creative arts and community service.
He, therefore, indicated that the energy, ideas and commitment of the youth were invaluable assets that must be nurtured and channelled towards building a prosperous and inclusive nation.
Transformative development
The MCE stressed that when the energy of the youth was well harnessed, it could lead to transformative development across all sectors of the economy.
He appreciated the efforts of the STAR-GHANA Foundation for its contribution towards youth development and empowerment in the municipality.
The Planning Officer of the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council (ERCC), Michael Agyemang, who read the speech of the Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, said the summit had come at the right time when Ghana's 70 per cent youth population was below the age of 35.
She said that as policymakers and leaders, they would continue to create an enabling environment where the voices of young people would not just be heard, but would influence decision-making.
The regional minister noted that her outfit had increased youth representation in the municipal assembly from three to 11 elected members, describing it as an encouraging development.
Collaboration
Mrs Awatey called for collaboration among the government, private sector, civil society and the youth to co-create innovative solutions to tackle issues such as mental health, skills development, digital inclusion and participatory governance.
She gave an assurance that the government remained commitment to enhancing youth empowerment and inclusion through initiatives such as the Adwumawura programme.
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