Rise up and chart course for Africa’s progress – Pro-Vice-Chancellor  

By Stephen Asante/Florence Afriyie Mensah

Kumasi, Aug. 27, GNA – The 13th edition of the ‘YPYC MTN Pulse Transform Africa Conference and Africa Role Model Awards 2022’, has been held in Kumasi, with a call on the youth to rise up and champion the cause of the continent. 

“The youth should see it as an assignment to chart a path for Africa’s growth. 

“We have been blessed with many resources and talents, and also the numbers,” Professor Ellis Owusu-Dabo, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), noted. 

According to him, with the potentials inherent in the African youth, it was appropriate that stakeholders worked assiduously to harness those abilities in the interest of the continent. 

The majority of development challenges confronting the society bothered on leadership, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor noted. 

Consequently, there ought to be a conscious effort in nurturing well-resourced, selfless and the next generation of visionary youth with the passion to address the continent’s plight. 

This was the way to ensure a secured future for Africa, Prof. Owusu-Dabo observed. 

He added that raising charismatic leaders, who were well-bred in the African values and systems, was a necessity, if the continent was to take her destiny into her own hands. 

Akyamfour Asafo Boakye Agyemang-Bonsu, Asafohene, who represented the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, entreated corporate organisations to strive to invest in leadership training and coaching courses. 

Such programmes, according to him, were vital to equipping the youth with the relevant skills set needed to be groomed into responsible leaders. 

“The youth must be mentored to appreciate that they are leaders wherever they find themselves,” the Asafohene said. 

The chief cautioned that the youth had a responsibility not to fail the nation, but live up to expectation, urging them to embrace entrepreneurial skills and other courses that could transform their lives for the better. 

Mr Andy Okrah, President and Founder of the Young Professionals and Youth Coalition (YPYC), said the programme aimed at awarding most outstanding personalities, role models and transformational leaders who had impacted positively on the society. 

He assured that the Coalition would continue to work with institutions such as the KNUST to train the youth to embrace leadership values for the benefit of the nation. 

GNA