From August 3rd to 5th, 2025, the Pentecost Convention Centre at Gomoa Fetteh in the Central Region of Ghana hosted thousands of young people from across the country, alongside ministers of state, political party representatives, development partners, religious and traditional leaders, and the media. They convened for the 4th National Youth Conference, organized by the National Youth Authority (NYA) under the theme “Igniting Potentials, Inspiring Change.”
The 2025 National Youth Conference offered a platform for young people to collaborate, engage in dialogue, learn, and network through plenary sessions and breakout discussions.
Opening Ceremony
The two-day event opened with a welcome address by the MP for Gomoa East, delivered on behalf of the Central Regional Minister, followed by solidarity messages from state institutions and development partners.
In his remarks, the Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment reaffirmed the government’s commitment to creating jobs and fostering an enabling environment for youth entrepreneurship. He further challenged young people to “not just listen, but participate actively to shape the dialogue.”
The Minister also officially inaugurated the Ghana Youth Federation (GYF), established under the NYA Act 939 as the apex coordinating body of all youth organizations, associations, and movements across the country. The Federation is mandated to mobilize, empower, and represent young people in national development. An interim team of five executives was sworn in to serve a one-year term, during which they will oversee the formation of Regional and District Federation Councils.
Tackling Substance Abuse
The CEO of National Youth Authority (NYA) underscored the urgent fight against substance abuse among young people, highlighting the “Red Means Stop” initiative aimed at reducing addiction and safeguarding the future of Ghanaian youth.
Breakout Sessions
Panel Discussion: Youth Participation in Decision-Making
Under the theme “Youth Voices, Real Power,” panelists stressed the barriers preventing youth from effectively participating in governance. Key issues raised included the absence of robust structures for youth inclusion, the high cost of elections, which discourages youth candidacy, and the limited space granted to the few young people who do get opportunities to engage in decision-making.
Panel Discussion: Youth, Peace, and Security
A second panel examined emerging issues on Ghana’s youth, peace, and security agenda. Discussions highlighted the work of the Technical Working Group on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS), but also noted the limited inclusion of youth voices in national peace and security conversations. Concerns were raised about Ghana’s over 11 million young people facing unemployment or underemployment, exposure to sexual and gender-based violence, and their exclusion from mechanisms such as alternative dispute resolution (ADR).
Closing Session
The conference concluded with a youth dialogue with the Chief of Staff, representing the President. The dialogue provided a platform for youth-led initiatives to present their concerns directly to the government. The Chief of Staff conveyed the President’s goodwill message to participants and announced new sports-for-development programs to be rolled out in every constituency, addressing concerns raised about the lack of attention to youth sports development.
ASFIT was represented at this important event by Mr. Sumani Sahidle Kawuneni, a member of the ASFIT staff.
