Professor Ellis Owusu Dabo, Pro Vice Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has lauded Mr. Andy Okrah, Founder and Executive Director of Young Professional and Youth Coalition (YPYC), staff and the Board of Directors for innovative initiative in building tomorrow’s leaders today.
According to the Pro-VC, the initiative was appropriate in the current situation, where there was leadership crisis in the world, and tasked the youth who are the future leaders to start learning how to lead themselves first to enable them become successful leaders when the mantle of leadership of society was handed over to them in future.
He was speaking as the Guest Speaker at the 14th Africa Role Model Awards Mentors/Mentees Transformation Summit 2023, organised by Young Professional and Youth Coalition (YPYC) MTN Pulse at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
The theme was: “Building Tomorrow’s Transformational Leaders Today”.
Prof. Dabo said a leader was someone who directed, motivated and persuaded others to achieve results, and that leadership was not magnetic personality, but rather lifting the person to higher heights and standards, and the ability to listen to others’ views.
He said a leader can unite people and promote change that guides and motivates to achieve specific target.
He stated that the core value of raising future leaders today was to enhance the quality of leadership at the personal and continental levels, as leadership in the universities were also needful in building the continent.
The Pro Vice Chancellor revealed that, charismatic leaders possessed strong communication skills, as they knew the sense of purpose for their followers, which, he said, needed to be encourage and harnessed into the young generation.
He reminded them to prioritise good networking, for their network was their net wealth and must take advantage of those around them and advance in life, adding that, they must highlight their achievements while having data on whatever they did that could enhance writing a Curriculum Vitae (CV).
Mr. Andy Okrah, Founder and Executive Director of YPYC, disclosed that, over the last 14 years the initiative had inspired many young people to unravel their talents and capabilities on the job market.
He said the mission and vision of the organisation was to help the mindsets of the young people and transform them towards present and future leadership designed for Africa.
About 10 personalities, including Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Member of Parliament for Manhyia South and Minister for Energy; Alhaji Muntaka Muhammed, Member of Parliament for Asawase, Professor Banful, Dr. Marion Okoh-Owusu, Western North Regional Director of Health Services, Madam Obobia Darko and other distinguished personalities were honoured.
