The Coalition for Positive Impact (CPI) has injected GH¢38,500 in businesses operating in the northern parts of the country, in line with its push for youth empowerment.
Maazu Bayuoni, the Founder and President of CPI, disclosed this at his outfit’s ‘Igniting Dreams’ summit held in the Wa Municipality of the Upper West Region and urged the government to support youth businesses irrespective of political affiliations.
Bayuoni stressed: “It is essential to create an enabling environment that fosters the growth of young entrepreneurs. We urge the government to support youth initiatives beyond party affiliations. As Ghanaians, we should prioritise national interests over political affiliations”.
Bayuoni emphasised the significance of overcoming political divides and guaranteeing everyone has equal access to opportunity. “People should not have to pay to access job opportunities or other support services for their businesses. We need a conducive environment where meritocracy prevails, allowing everyone to participate and benefit.”
Keynote Speaker Dr. George Dery, Senior Lecturer at SD Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDS) commented on youth exclusion from governance.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the advancement of our space programme is of utmost importance for various reasons. Despite being hailed as the future leaders, the youths are noticeably absent in key decision-making roles, particularly in the government. There seems to be a lack of intentional efforts to increase youth participation in addressing pressing issues.”
Dr. Dery cautioned about the potential explosion of youth unemployment, warning that it could become a ticking time bomb if left unaddressed. The prolonged tenure of older individuals limits the chances for the younger generation to showcase their employable and entrepreneurial skills, resulting in a rising unemployment rate.
The ‘Igniting Dreams’ summit, organised by CPI, aims to bridge this gap by providing business development training, mentorship and seed funding to young entrepreneurs in northern Ghana. The programme, in its sixth edition, has supported over 40 entrepreneurs, generating revenue exceeding GH¢1,000,000 and creating over 300 job opportunities across the five regions of the north.
The summit’s theme ‘Developing Northern Ghana through Leadership, Innovation and Entrepreneurship’ underscores the need for a paradigm shift in societal attitudes toward diverse career paths. Bayuoni emphasised the significance of this initiative, stating: “Our goal is to inspire more young people to develop creative and innovative ideas that can be transformed into viable businesses, thereby creating job opportunities”.
This year’s summit gathered participants from the five northern Ghana regions and beyond. Following the presentation of their business pitch on day two of the summit, a group of ten young entrepreneurs received awards and support totalling GH¢38,500.
