The Upper East Regional Office of the National Youth Authority (NYA) has launched the 2026 Youth Month celebration with a call on young people to embrace entrepreneurship, responsible digital citizenship, and active participation in national development.
Observed throughout August, Youth Month is Ghana’s national observance in line with International Youth Day, celebrated annually on August 12. The month-long celebration provides a platform for young people to engage policymakers, exchange ideas, discuss national development issues, and contribute to policies that shape their future.
Speaking during a media engagement, the Upper East Regional Director of the National Youth Authority, Francis Takyi-Koranteng, said the celebration recognises the invaluable contributions of young people to national development while creating opportunities for dialogue, networking, innovation, and learning.
He explained that this year’s celebration began with a regional clean-up exercise organised in collaboration with stakeholders under the National Sanitation Day initiative.
The exercise attracted more than 200 participants, including personnel from the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ghana Police Service, the Narcotics Control Commission, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Environmental Health officers, local government authorities, and youth groups.
Participants cleaned sections of Bolgatanga’s principal streets, the main lorry station, and other public spaces, with the Upper East Regional Minister and the Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive joining the exercise.
Takyi-Koranteng said the Authority would also engage religious leaders to help amplify messages on youth development, moral responsibility, peaceful coexistence, and nation-building.
He expressed concern over the rising incidence of substance abuse, violence, and the misuse of social media among some young people, urging them to use digital platforms responsibly by promoting positive conversations rather than spreading misinformation, engaging in cyberbullying, or damaging the reputations of others.
The Regional Director further encouraged young people to shift away from an overreliance on white-collar jobs and instead embrace entrepreneurship and self-employment.
According to him, many successful businesses were founded by young entrepreneurs who identified opportunities, took calculated risks, and built sustainable enterprises that now create employment for others.
As part of the Youth Month activities, the Authority will engage the Islamic community at the Bolgatanga Central Mosque before selecting delegates from the region to participate in the National Youth Conference scheduled for August 10 to 13 at the Great Hall of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi.
The conference is expected to bring together about 5,000 participants from Ghana and beyond to deliberate on youth development, innovation, entrepreneurship, and national progress.
Other activities lined up for the month include Regional Youth Parliament sessions, an Intergenerational Dialogue to strengthen collaboration between young people and experienced leaders, and an anti-substance abuse campaign dubbed “Red Means Talk.”
Takyi-Koranteng said the campaign is aimed at educating young people on the dangers of drug and substance abuse while encouraging them to make informed and healthy choices.
He called on young people across the Upper East Region to actively participate in the Youth Month activities, describing the celebration as an opportunity to nurture leadership, innovation, volunteerism, entrepreneurship, and responsible citizenship among Ghana’s youth.
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