The NASPA Youth Empowerment Summit 2023 (NYES) was held on Friday, 14th July 2023 at the Mt. Sinai Methodist Church, Kpone on the theme “Sustainable Youth Empowerment; The Role of National Service Personnel”
The summit sought to create a platform for the service personnel at Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Assembly (KKMA) to come together to share ideas and collaborate on innovative solutions for a sustainable future. It brought together some of the brightest minds and most passionate personalities in the Municipality to discuss pressing issues about the youth and to take actions towards entrepreneurship and sustainable world for the youth in Ghana.
Heads of Department and National Service Personnel at the Summit
Mr Samuel Noi Mensah, a Human Resource practitioner spoke to participants about building a career in a new era. He advised them to acquire IT skills, build a good curriculum vitae and find better ways of doing things in order survive.
For his part, Mr Samuel T.K. Morton who represented the Member of Parliament for the Kpone constituency, Hon Joseph Akuerteh Tettey told participants that whatever they wanted to do in the future starts from today. He encouraged all participants to ask what they can do for themselves and start working towards it.
The District Manager of the NSS, Mr. Immanuel Nii-Larte Lartey said the summit started in 2020/2021 service year to empower service personnel to be ready and innovative for the job market and also create their own businesses or jobs. He added that it was the time for them to put
in their applications to institutions for employment.
The NYA Municipal Youth Director, Ms. Janice Anaman-Mensah said the motive for the summit was to empower service personnel who would soon join the job market. She added that the event will equip them with the requisite entrepreneurial skills to advance them in the existing competitive job market. She also explained and admonished all service personnel the need to understand that they can be entrepreneurs and have multiple sources of income, and to leverage the opportunities available to become successful entrepreneurs on their own, no matter how small they are.
The NYA Municipal Youth Director, Ms. Janice Anaman-Mensah addressing participants.
The Member of Parliament for Tema Central, Hon. Yves Nii Noi Hanson-Nortey also stressed that the government, through the YouStart programme, has created an opportunity for the youths to access funding that they can use to develop their businesses, noting that it is therefore up to them to harness these opportunities. He urged them to avail themselves of the program the government has provided and take advantage of the opportunity to grow their small businesses. He said, “Life is not a rehearsal; therefore, take advantage of every opportunity given and get rid of the mentality of always being a servant; you can be a master of your own”.
The Member of Parliament for Tema Central, Mr. Yves Hanson-Nortey delivering his speech.
Mr. Samuel Okoe Amanquah, the Municipal Chief Executive of the Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Assembly, also added that because of the hard work and discipline of some past personnel, the Assembly has employed them to continue their work. He again said that although jobs are difficult to come by it is important for the personnel to create their own businesses for income.
“Most of the personnel posted to institutions complain, absent themselves, and sometimes disrespect their superiors, therefore, work hard, be creative, and be innovative in every role you are given”, he added.
The MCE; Hon Samuel Okoe Amanquah delivering his speech