More than 100 adolescents from schools and youth groups across the Bono and Ashanti Regions gathered in Sunyani for the maiden annual Adolescents’ Conference, an event aimed at strengthening the voices of young people and tackling the growing challenges that threaten their wellbeing.
The forum, organised by the Global Media Foundation (GLOMEF) under the theme “Empowering Adolescents – Securing Our Future Tomorrow,” provided a platform for participants to discuss issues ranging from mental-health pressures and sexual and reproductive health to cyber safety, mentorship gaps and the rising cost of education.
Youth delegates drawn from junior and senior high schools, together with members of the Sunyani Adolescent Parliament, shared concerns about the barriers that continue to limit their development. Organisers say the conference was convened to create space for adolescents to articulate these challenges and to mobilise stronger community and institutional support for their protection and growth.
Addressing the gathering, the Bono Regional Minister, Joseph Addae Akwaboa — in a speech delivered on his behalf by the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive, Vincent Antwi Agyei — warned that persistent obstacles such as child labour, inadequate reproductive-health services and limited access to quality education were undermining the future prospects of young people.
“These challenges, if left unaddressed, weaken the foundations of our collective progress,” he said.
GLOMEF’s Chief Executive Officer, Raphael Godlove Ahenu, stressed that adolescent empowerment must be treated as a critical pillar of Ghana’s human-resource development.
He urged government to allocate more resources to agencies responsible for youth support, warning that without adequate investment many young people risk being left behind. He also called for expanded mentorship programmes and accessible guidance and counselling services in schools.
The Bono Regional Early Childhood Coordinator, Emelia Appiah-Ampong, on her part encouraged adolescents to adopt disciplined lifestyles, choose peers wisely and take responsibility for their decisions.
She appealed to parents, teachers, civil society groups and the wider community to actively support the upbringing of children, noting that young people thrive best when surrounded by consistent guidance and care. “We must all be concerned about every child,” she said. “He or she might not be your child today, but could be your in-law tomorrow.”
