National Youth Authority Marks Africa Youth Day 2025

The National Youth Authority (NYA) has commemorated Africa Youth Day 2025 with a Ministerial Youth Dialogue on the theme “Accountability, Policy, and Youth-Led Solutions for National Development” at the Accra International Conference Center(AICC)

Speaking at the event, Chief Executive Officer of NYA, Osman Ayariga Esq. urged young people to be fearless and claim their place at the decision making table.

Emphasizing the importance of accountability, he noted that leadership and institutions must remain transparent and answerable to the public, especially the youth. He added that a nation’s development depends not on age but on the free flow of ideas, commending Ghana for its growing commitment to youth welfare. He encouraged African leaders to create space for young people in policymaking and challenged the youth to “champion the Africa they want to see.” He concluded by commending the African Union (AU) for dedicating November 1 to celebrating African youth.

In his remarks, the Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, Hon. George Opare Addo highlighted the need to empower young people as strategic partners in national progress. He urged the youth to move “from declaration to demonstration,” emphasizing that empowerment through skills training and entrepreneurship, evident in initiatives such as the National Apprenticeship Program and the Edwumawura Program, is central to the President’s Reset Agenda. He stressed that policy must guide development and actively include young people in decision-making at all levels. Hon. Opare Addo also announced an upcoming engagement with development partners on November 5, 2025, to address key youth-related challenges.

Mr. Symerre Grey-Johnson, Director of Human Capital, Social, and Institutional Development at the African Union Development Agency–NEPAD, was the special guest. He reminded participants that youth are “architects, not spectators” of national development, adding that “the future is not on the horizon, it is here and now.” He underscored education as a powerful tool for transformation and urged young people to speak up, make informed decisions, and take the lead in shaping Africa’s future through innovation and entrepreneurship. He reaffirmed NEPAD’s commitment to translating AU decisions into concrete action.

The dialogue session featured interactive discussions with representatives from the Education, Lands and Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Labour sectors, as well as the Ghana Enterprise Agency. Participants raised questions about environmental degradation from illegal mining, inclusivity in education, and the potential role of correctional institutions in national development.

African Youth Day is celebrated on November 1st by African Union member states to recognize the contributions of young people to the continent's development and to encourage investment in their potential.