The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) at the University for Development Studies (UDS) Tamale, has held a conference to empower students with the right information to shape their leadership skills for national development.
It was also intended to inspire and encourage students to express interest in leadership positions that will facilitate the country’s overall development.
The conference was organised by UDS-NUGS, in collaboration with Alice Talkworld Organisation, a universal community of young leaders, and Prince Sadat Change Makers Foundation, on the theme: “Finding your Feet”.
It brought together key stakeholders within the women empowerment and advocacy space, youth groups, students from some senior high schools in Tamale, as well as leadership and other business experts.
Mr Issah Abdul-Manan, UDS-NUGS President, said the conference was intended to inspire, empower and uplift the spirit of young people to be ambassadors of transformative leadership and strong advocates of women empowerment that would resonate in sustainable development.
He said the theme was carefully selected to signify the process of discovering one’s strength, passion and purpose and taking the needed steps towards personal growth and self-improvement.
“The theme seeks to encourage individuals to embrace challenges, overcome obstacles and to navigate uncertainties with resilience and determination,” he said.
Mr Abdul-Manan said it was important for the youth to eschew all forms of misconceptions associated with young people in leadership, women empowerment and entrepreneurship, and encouraged them to embrace the new era of inclusivity for sustainable development.
Ms Alice Yakubu, the Chief Executive Officer of Alice Talkworld Organisation, spoke on the importance of networking and capacity building for youth participation in decision-making processes in the country.
She said young people would not get the platform to lead in national development if they did not strategise, network, enhance their skills and prove that they were competent enough to lead the change they desired.
She admonished them not to allow the few setbacks they would encounter in pursuit of excellence to discourage them but remain resolute and optimistic about their dreams and aspirations.
Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed, the Executive Director, Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-GH) a non-governmental organisation, urged men to perceive women as partners in development and not competitors.
She emphasized that some restrictive norms, coupled with incidences of gender stereotyping, had been a huge hindrance to addressing challenges women and girls faced in their quest to participate in national development.
Hajia Sagito-Saeed reiterated the need for the Government to facilitate the passage of the Affirmative Action Bill to help give more legal backing to women empowerment.
Mr Alhassan Musah Timtooni, the Speaker for the Northern Regional Youth Parliament, said the days where young people were sidelined in major decision-making processes in the country were over, adding that the voices of the youth must be counted to reflect the collective view of Ghanaians.
He urged young people not to allow themselves to be used as agents of violence, especially in the upcoming general election, but leverage on their youthful exuberance to champion peace and stability.
