The National Youth Authority (NYA), in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat, has commenced a two-day technical capacity-building workshop in Accra to equip Youth Development Officers (YDOs) with modern tools and approaches for effective youth policy implementation.
The workshop, focused on strengthening youth mainstreaming and enhancing monitoring and evaluation systems, is part of a renewed national effort to translate Ghana’s National Youth Policy into measurable outcomes at the community level.
In an opening remarks, Mr. Osman Abdulai Ayariga, Esq., Chief Executive Officer of the NYA, emphasized that the Authority is entering a new era of professionalism and accountability, where policy must be transformed into practical impact.
“The National Youth Policy is not just a document—it is our nation’s social contract with its youth,” Mr. Ayariga stated. “But that contract only becomes real through the skill, empathy, and dedication of the Youth Development Officers who engage our young people daily.”
Mr. Ayariga, who has led a visible transformation of the NYA since assuming office, described Youth Development Officers as “the frontline architects of Ghana’s demographic dividend.” He challenged them to adapt to emerging youth issues such as digital transformation, mental health, climate change, and entrepreneurship, noting that the challenges facing Ghana’s youth today require new thinking and continuous capacity building.
“To serve young people effectively, we cannot rely on yesterday’s tools,” he said. “This workshop bridges that gap—equipping our officers with the contemporary competencies required for 21st-century youth development.”
He reaffirmed NYA’s commitment to building a professionalized and empowered corps of officers, capable of designing cross-sectoral interventions that address the holistic needs of young Ghanaians—from education and employment to civic engagement and well-being.
Mr. Ayariga further noted that the Authority’s work directly advances Ghana’s progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in areas of quality education, decent work, and reduced inequalities.
“Our Youth Development Officers are not just NYA staff—they are agents of national progress and contributors to global goals,” he asserted.
Representing the Commonwealth Secretariat, Mr. Suhil Ram, Advisor for Youth Development, commended the NYA’s leadership for its strategic vision and reaffirmed the Secretariat’s enduring partnership with Ghana.
“Youth are not just beneficiaries of development—they are partners, innovators, and leaders,” Mr. Ram said, urging participants to translate their training into practical, measurable results.
The workshop features expert facilitation by Madam Jane Ntiful, Acting Director for Research, Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation at NYA, and Mr. Archiebald Donkor, who are leading sessions on Positive Youth Development, Rights-Based Approaches, and evidence-based monitoring tools.
NYA’s Deputy CEO for Operations and Programs, Alhaji Inusah Mahama, praised the Authority’s transformation under the current administration, noting that its visibility and public engagement have significantly improved. Similarly, Deputy CEO for Finance and Administration, Mr. Jacob Adongo Atule, encouraged YDOs to continuously upgrade their skills, describing their work as “central to sustaining NYA’s growing impact nationwide.”
The workshop, which continues through October 10, will include advanced sessions on youth mainstreaming tools, practical case studies, and collaborative planning, culminating in the formation of a national community of practice among Youth Development Officers.
Concluding his address, Mr. Ayariga urged participants to view the workshop as both a professional responsibility and a patriotic duty.
“The success of the National Youth Policy will not be written at headquarters in Accra,” he said, “but in the communities where you work, and in the young lives you transform. Let us serve with purpose, with professionalism, and with pride.”
