The President of the Scout and Guide Fellowship Ghana (SGF-Gh), Andrew Botchway, has called for the re-energising of scouting and guiding movement to enable it meet the 21st century demands of national development.In this direction, he said there was an urgent need to revive the movement and make it a significant part of the country development agenda.Speaking at the opening of a three-day national capacity-building workshop for scout and guide leaders in Accra over the weekend.The workshop, themed "Empowering Scouts and Guides Leaders with 21st Century Skills to Equip Youth in Achieving the MDG 2&3 and SDGs 1-5," formed part of SGF-Gh's efforts to address leadership gaps in schools and communities.Mr Botchway stressed the importance of critical thinking, teamwork, and digital literacy in youth development.
He noted that many schools lacked trained leaders and said the workshop aimed to rebuild capacity nationwide.He also urged stronger collaboration between SGF-Gh and the core scouting and guiding associations, saying, "We are not a separate entity-we exist to support and strengthen the scouts and g uides."On the international front, he revealed Ghana's bid to host the 2027 ISGF World Conference, competing with Senegal, Mexico, Kuwait and Greece.
He encouraged participants to rally support from the global Scouting community.Mr Botchway also announced plans for a major international jamboree in 2026, dubbed "The Ghana Experience," which aims to bring scouts, guides, and fellowship members from around the world to Ghana.The Executive Secretary of SGF-Gh, Stephanie Birikorang, on her part emphasised the need for stronger leadership and community service within the scouting and guiding movement, underscoring the role of lifelong learning, civic responsibility, and teamwork in sustaining the relevance of the movement."Our mission is to support adult scouts and guides and contribute to national development through service, leadership, and lifelong learning," she stated. "This workshop is not just about learning new skills-it is about renewing our commitment to serve and lead with integrity."According to her, the training, part of SGF-Gh's broader strategy to empower its members, features sessions on leadership, project planning, communication, civic responsibility and nation-building, self-reliance, and preparing Scouts and Guides for the age of artificial intelligence, among others. BY STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG
