By Eric Appah Marfo, GNA
Accra, Dec. 17, GNA — Sixteen young entrepreneurs have been awarded with $5,000.00 for their innovative and sustainable solutions to solve specific problems facing the nation.
Their innovations were endorsed out of 35 participants drawn from 336 applications received for consideration in the Youth Innovation for Sustainable Development (YISD) Challenge.
The YISD Challenge was organised by the National Youth Authority (NYA) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme - Ghana (UNDP) and The Youth Connekt Ghana to help actualise the dreams of young Ghanaians who are yearning to make a difference in the world.
Mr Nelson Owusu Ansah, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, NYA Programmes and Operations said the current challenging trends in the world required that the youth progressed from job seeking to job creation; as such it was the vision of the Authority to provide support in such areas.
“If we can change the rhetoric about employment in this country, it would be to change the mindset of the youth from job seeking to job creation,” he said.
He lauded those who mustered courage to present their innovations for scrutiny and thanked the UNDP-Ghana and the Ministry of Youth and Sports for their determination to better the lives of young entrepreneurs.
Madam Silke Hollander, Resident Representative of the UNDP Cultural Troupe said the Youth Connekt Ghana platform was created to connect the youth to opportunities and resources to develop, grow and scale up innovative solutions for the transformation of Ghana and Africa as a whole.
She commended the NYA for supporting the UNDP-Ghana towards operationalising the objectives of the Youth Connekt Ghana platform.
Madam Hollander called on the public and private sector stakeholders including government, businesses, development partners, civil society as well as young innovators and change makers to work hand in hand with the NYA and UNDP to effectively and productively utilize the Youth Connekt platform to transform the future of Ghana’s youth.
She said the participation of the youth in the Challenge demonstrated how active the Ghanaian youth was involved in providing solutions to the nation’s pressing needs and urged participants to continue developing such innovative ideas.
“UNDP-Ghana is committed to supporting young people in experimenting, testing and scaling up innovations towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” she added.
Mr Ahmed Osumanu Halid, Aid to the Minister for Youth and Sports lauded the NYA and UNDP-Ghana for the collaboration to improve the lives of the youth.
He said the current administration was not only concerned about sports but was strongly concerned about matters regarding the youth.
Mr Halid urged citizens to emulate the examples set by the participants by creating jobs instead of searching.
The 16 change agents who received the cash prize were Iddrissu Alhassan, Prince Oppong, Felix Appiah, Paulina Mwindor, Enoch Keitu, Mashud Mohammed, Dr Elvis Forson, Adjoa Boatemaa Bonsu.
Others were; Michael Adusei-Nsowah, Mensah Agyei, Bako Samuel, Mabel Soglo, Loretta Kuadey, Daniel Amedza-Phillips, Jonathan Kojo and Abudu Bayorwor.
GNA
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