Young Professional and Youth Conference for Dec.

The Young Professionals Transformational Leadership Conference and Young Professional Role Model Awards ceremony would be held on Wednesday, December 10 at the Accra International Conference Centre.

The event, currently in its 6th year, is an initiative of the Young Professionals and Youth Coalition (YPYC), a youth-oriented non-governmental organisation, which seeks to network, transform and engage the mindset of the youth in discussions of national affairs, while emphasising the importance of leadership and entrepreneurship to deliver national goals.

Mr Andy Osei Okrah, President of YPYC, said the objective of the conference is to equip the country’s youth with state-of-the-art leadership skills and values for rapid nation building.

“Following five years of successful pursuance of the Young Professionals Transformational Leadership Conference and Young Professional Role Model Awards from 2009, YPYC is committed to continue this highly subscribed conference this year,” he added.

Mr Okrah said to fulfill the present and future needs of Ghana, continuous engagements, collaborations and development of young professionals with changed mind-sets, capable in skills and competencies and above all strong in leadership and generational thinking are needed.

He said since the inception of the programme many young professionals are making significant impact in the socio-economic development of the country leading to the creation of more jobs for young people.

Commenting on the theme: “Transformational Change Africa Needs in the 21st Century”, he said the theme was chosen based on the need comforting young professionals in the 21st Century.

He said speakers for the conference include Dr Joyce Aryee, Founder of Salt and Light Ministries, Emmanuel Adu Sarkodee – Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), CDH Financial Holdings Limited, Samuel Afari Dartey-CEO of Forestry Commission.

“We are always privileged to have His Excellency the Vice President Paa Kwasi Amissah Arthur as the Special Guest of Honour,” he said.

Other Guest Speakers include the Minister of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts.

He said the event would host more than 1,500 young professionals and youth from all over the country.

Touching on the Young Professionals Role Model Awards, Mr Okrah said the awards is an annual national leadership excellence award that seeks to recognise those who demonstrate superior leadership both personally and professionally to deliver total youth development.

He said nomination and selection of winners are mainly done by the public.

He said the topmost award would be given the following personalities who are examples to young professionals in the country.

The awardees include: Mr Amissah Arthur, for his leadership role, Dr Addo Kufour, for his role in Politics, Dr Osei Kwame Despite for his Entrepreneurship role in the country and Mr Samuel Afari Dartey, Chief Executive Officer, Forestry Commission for his role in youth empowerment.

Mr Okrah called on Institutions and Corporate Ghana to support the laudable initiative that would help empower young professionals.