UG’s Annual Youth School, Conference and Exhibitions ends with a call for youth to seek accurate information on how economies are driven

coming information consumers.

A panel session highlighting how youth business can be supported and the preparations the Ghanaian Youth can put in place to access an integrated African market saw the likes of Mr. Seth Twum Akwaboah - CEO, Association of Ghana Industries, Ms. Christiana Adu - GRASAG President, University of Ghana, Mrs. Diana Owusu Antwi - Senior Research Development O cer, Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property Services, University of Ghana prepared the youth whiles the Ministry of Finance provided education on the government’s “YouStart Ghana Initiative”.

or partners," she said. The Agric Investment Lead of the Ghana CARES initiative at the Ministry of Finance, Stephen Odartey o, said the YouStart initiative was set up by the government to empower young people between the ages of 18 and 40 years with technical and nancial support to create jobs for the youth. He urged the youth to be daring and take advantage of such initiatives.

The President of the Graduate Student Association (GRASAG)Ms Adu, advised the students to put their leisure time to good use by acquiring knowledge and skills that would help them to venture into business.

Since the University of Ghana’s inception in the year 1948, its Annual New Year School and Conference (ANYSC) has been the agship programme of the University attracting people from all walks of life to deliberate on topical issues of national and international interest. The third in series of the Youth School, as part of activities for the 74th Annual New Year School and Conference (ANYSC) has successfully ended with a call for young people to seek accurate information on how economies are driven and be aligned accordingly.

This third edition of the Annual Youth School, Conference and Exhibitions (AYSCE) was held at the ISSER Conference Centre of the University of Ghana on Thursday January 19, 2023 with over 300 youth, entrepreneurs and business executives participating. This school and conference was under the theme – positioning the African market for sustainable economic development through the African Continental Free Trade Area. Professor

Olivia A. Kwapong the Dean, School of Continuing and Distance Education gave the welcome address where Professor Felix Ankomah Asante, the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research, Innovation and Development, the College Secretary from the College of Education Joseph Oduro Nkansah equally made statements. Dr. Fareed Arthur, National Coordinator of the National Coordinating O ce of AfCFTA took turns to address the youth on AfCFTA. The vision bearer of the Youth School, also a director of the Youth School and member of the ANYSC corporate advisory and technical team Mr. Jack Andrews Dotsey delivered his statement on the mission and vision of the Youth School, Conference and Exhibitions. Dr. Simon–Peter Kafui Aheto, also a director and technical committee member helped the Youth to appreciate the youth school’s expectations of the New Year 2023.

The Keynote address delivered by Nana Owusu-Achaw - CEO and Founder of Kings Innovations, looked at opportunities for youth employment and en- trepreneurship: zeroing on how the youth can understand and take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area. Nana Owusu-Achaw admonished young people to seek accurate information about how economies are driven and be aligned accordingly, take our French education seriously as Ghana is bordered by francophone neighbours, learn to volunteer and remember opportunities available in Africa are best found in Africa and not elsewhere. The youth were cautioned to stop holding investments in their pockets by way of investing huge sums into the purchase of mobile phones which could serve as their capital investment, dare not to be programmed to be lazy but to seek information intentionally in-order not to be fed with information they do not desire.

The keynote speaker questioned why Ghana is using only 10% of its arable lands and encouraged the youth to start thinking of business ideas, partnership and collaboration to support the AfCFTA one market agenda as they seek information purposively then be-

The AGI CEO in his remarks was of the opinion that, the youth can start a business and also export their products no matter their ages as patrons of goods do not consider if product are made by young people before they buy. There are opportunities that young people can take advantage of. Do not always look at the big businesses and do not discount the value you get from the small businesses whiles not compromising standards he added. “The right way is to knowing what the standards and requirements are and make sure you meet it. A lot of businesses have succeeded because they belong to a wider network. You do not walk alone as a business. If you do so you don't create opportunities for yourself working alone in a corner and this will see your business die. Be part of an association and enjoy the bene ts”.

Mrs. Owusu Antwi urged the youth to avoid public disclosure of their invention as they might lose the right to protect it. She said they could enter joint ventures with persons who have the nancial muscle to help them with their inventions after securing intellectual protection right. "Use a non-disclosure agreement prior to sharing sensitive information about your intellectual property with potential investors

A Mentorship Clinic as well as a leadership and development breakaway session got the youth trained on self-leadership, moral vision, and transformative leadership amongst other topics. Accra Senior High School choir putting up a splendid performance performed several melodious indigenous Ghanaian songs to the admiration of all. The very interesting third edition of the AYSCE was moderated by the author of the book – “Prepare for the Future of Work”.

To this end, the four-day ANYSC which started from Monday, January 16–19, 2023, had its theme on AfCFTA, sub-themes for break out groups, discussions and deliberations provided options for Ghana and other African countries and stakeholders on the continentals nancial, education al, governance, security, women in trade and digital technolo ¬ gy preparedness for AfCFTA.

This school and conference was under the auspices of the School of Continuing and Distance Education, College of Educa tion, University of Ghana, in collaboration with the Ministries of Finance, Education, Communications and Digitisation, Trade and Industry, and Foreign A airs and Regional Integration.