The Ashanti Regional Directorate of the National Youth Authority (NYA), would be hosting some 5,000 youth from across the country for the 2026 National Youth Conference to discuss issues relating to concerns under the theme ‘Rebuilding Values, Inspiring Patriotism: Empowering the Youth in the Digital Age’.
Hitherto celebrated on every August 12 as International Youth Day, it has been dubbed by the National Youth Act as National Youth Conference and would be held from today August 10 to 12 at the Great Hall of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi where young people would gather and discuss evolving or emerging issues concerning the youth of this country.
The youth conference is expected to inspire a new generation of responsible, innovative and patriotic young Ghanaians who are equipped with the skills, values and opportunities needed to contribute meaningfully to national development.
As part of activities proceeding the event, the NYA in the Ashanti Region last Saturday mobilised about 100 young people from various youth groups to undertake a massive clean-up exercise around the KNUST campus.
Mr. George Orwell Amponsah, NYA Regional Director told The Chronicle that the theme for this year’s celebration was carefully chosen because issues of livelihood, digital economy, patriotism and civic competences are of much concern to the young people.
He said the gathering would involve major and breakout sessions to deliberate on various issues including climate change, digital economy, entrepreneurship, instilling values among others and added that the NYA has invited experts in these areas as resource persons.
The Regional Director said the Authority strategically chose the KNUST for the clean-up exercise because the campus is the venue for the National Youth Conference and sanitation and environmental issues are also equally important to the youth because “our survival mainly depends on how we keep our environment clean”.
He emphasized that one cannot take away the contribution and important roles of young people who formed the major part of the active population.
The conference would be interspersed with speeches and solidarity messages from government officials, development partners, MDAs, NYA CEO, youth advocates and traditional leaders. It would climax on the third day by President John Dramani Mahama who is expected to dialogue with the youth of the country.
The President is expected to deliver a speech about the government’s position on how it intends to develop young people through the numerous interventions.
From Thomas Agbenyegah Adzey, Kumasi
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