President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has described the eleva­tion of the National Service Scheme into an Authority as a major step towards strengthening youth development in the country.

He said the transformation signified a bold decision by his government to equip the youth effectively for national service, leadership and commitment to the nation's development aspira­tions.

Speaking at the official launch of the National Service Author­ity, in Accra on Friday, President Akufo-Addo said beyond foster­ing sustainable socio-economic growth, the modification aligned with the vision to bring the opera­tions of the Authority to standard in line with modern trends.

The programme was on the theme: "'The Dawn of a New Era".