By Dorothy Frances Ward
Kumasi, May 22, GNA – Madam Aba Oppong, Executive Director of Rights and Responsibilities Initiatives Ghana, has called for greater support for children to discover, nurture and develop their God-given talents, saying such abilities could transform their lives and contribute significantly to national development.
She said every child possessed unique gifts and potentials that could flourish when provided with the right guidance, support and enabling environment.
Mrs. Oppong made the remarks in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi.
She noted that experts in child development had consistently emphasised the importance of talent development in shaping the confidence, creativity, and future careers of children.
According to her, talents in sports, music, arts, science, leadership and technology could serve as powerful tools for personal growth and economic empowerment.
She observed, however, that many talented children struggled because of limited opportunities, inadequate facilities, lack of financial support, and, in some cases, discouragement from parents and society.
Madam Oppong said some gifted children in rural communities were unable to access platforms that could help them improve their skills and achieve their dreams.
She stressed that adolescence was a critical stage in life during which children developed values and skills that shaped their future and therefore should not be taken for granted.
She said empowering children and young people through education, skills training and opportunities would enable them to realise their full potential.
Citing a UNICEF Ghana report, she said young people between the ages of 10 and 24 constituted about one-third of Ghana’s population, making investment in children and youth development essential to the country’s future growth and productivity.
Madam Oppong noted that despite numerous challenges, many talented children in Ghana continued to excel in football, athletics, music, dance, poetry, coding and entrepreneurship.
She said their success stories demonstrated that when children were supported, they could achieve greatness and inspire others.
She advised parents and schools not to focus solely on academic performance but also create room for extracurricular activities that helped children identify and nurture their natural abilities.
According to her, activities such as sports, drama, debate, cultural performances and creative arts helped children build confidence, creativity and leadership skills.
Madam Oppong stressed that play formed an essential part of child development and children should not be denied opportunities to play.
She explained that play-based learning helped children develop cognitive, creative, physical and emotional skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
She said sports development had become an important aspect of child empowerment globally.
Madam Oppong further observed that child rights advocates believed talent development could help reduce social problems such as unemployment, drug abuse and crime among young people.
Children engaged in productive activities, she noted, were more likely to remain focused and motivated towards achieving positive goals.
She mentioned that UNICEF and other stakeholders had introduced social innovation, entrepreneurship and skills development programmes aimed at equipping children and young people with practical skills and learning opportunities for future careers.
Madam Oppong therefore called on government to invest more resources in youth centres, sports academies, libraries and creative arts programmes to help children nurture their talents from an early age.
She said such investments could help produce future leaders and professionals for the country.
She also urged parents to support their children in discovering and developing their talents, adding that child psychologists advised parents to encourage children to pursue career paths aligned with their abilities and passions.
GNA
Edited by Yussif Ibrahim/Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Dorothy Frances Ward
Email: [email protected]