The Minister of Youth Development and Empowerment, Mr George Opare Addo, yesterday called on stakeholders to deepen collaboration that would nurture youth empowerment and human capital development through the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the sub-region. According to him, working collaboratively, would help find sustainable, and inclusive solutions to aid in youth development.He said that, youth initiatives should be accessible to all, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status, to ensure equity at all levels of progress.Mr Addo, speaking at the opening of the ECOWAS Human Capital Development Youth Conference, in Accra, noted that young people represented the most significant demographic and greatest human resource in the ECOWAS region, therefore, investing in them was not only a moral obligation, but also an essential strategy for ensuring sustainable development and inclusive economic growth. The two-day conference that brought together youth from some ECOWAS countries, was held under the theme: "Fostering a region that is more economically inclusive and peaceful."The minister highlighted Ghana's commitment to youth development, citing the government's comprehensive national youth policy that prioritises active participation, empowerment, job creation, and entrepreneurial opportunities.Mr Addo emphasised the importance of technology in empowering the youth, citing the country's National Digital Transformational Agenda and the launch of a coding bootcamp, aimed at empowering over one million young coders."In Ghana, we recognise that building a resilient society necessitates placing education, skills training, and the overall well-being of our youth at the forefront.
Our nation's strength is dedicated to our people, and we must prioritise empowering our youth to build a future that is both promising and transformative," Mr Addo noted. In line with this vision, the minister said government has adopted a comprehensive national youth policy that delineates its commitment to youth development.Mr Addo explained that the policy priorities active participation, empowerment, job creation, and entrepreneurial opportunities, serving as the roadmap towards nurturing future leaders and innovators.Additionally, he stated that the health and well-being of the youth was a priority of the government, which led to the rollout of initiatives to address reproductive health, education, mental well-being, and access to youth-friendly health care. "Our recent campaign, Ghana Against Drugs, Red Means Stop, addresses the rising challenges posed by substance abuse among young individuals," he added. The Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mrs Damtien Larbli Tchintchibidja, noted that one of the most significant challenges facing the youth in the West African sub-region, was unemployment and underemployment."We cannot turn a blind eye to the pressing reality that many young people in our region are struggling to find meaningful and sustainable employment opportunities, so it is incumbent upon us to devise comprehensive strategies to create pathways for our youth to enter the workforce, contribute their talents and realise their full potential," she said.This, she revealed that the community would be establishing the ECOWAS youth mentorship and apprenticeship network connecting the youth to real African entrepreneurs."ECOWAS is poised to engage in partners in pursuing the human capital development agenda with increased resources allocated to activities supporting the youth," she added.BY CECILIA YADA LAGBA
