The National Youth Authority (NYA) has called on Ghanaian youth to come together in a united front to tackle the growing challenges posed by climate change.
A Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the NYA in charge of programmes and operations, Nelson Owusu Ansah, made the call during a climate change conference held at Sunlodge Hotel. The conference was under the theme, “Empowering Climate Action Through Ambition, Implementation and Inclusivity”.
He stressed that the event was an essential platform to raise awareness and galvanize youth-led actions in the fight against climate change. He emphasised the importance of youth engagement and collaboration in addressing climate change.
Awareness
Mr. Owusu Ansah noted that the event was an essential platform to raise awareness and galvanize youth-led actions in the fight against climate change. According to him, the conference sought to bring together various youth-led organizations, youth focus groups, and civil society organizations (CSOs) within the climate change ecosystem in Ghana. He emphasized that the primary goal was to establish a unified strategy that would empower young people to actively champion climate action in the country.
“The conference is aimed at bringing all the youth-led organizations, youth focus groups, and CSOs within the climate change ecosystem together so that we can fashion out a strategy. This way, the youth will have a common front in championing the climate action agenda in Ghana,” Mr. Owusu Ansah explained.
Concerns
He mentioned that one of the key challenges was the issue of funding and the political will necessary to drive climate action initiatives. He acknowledged that securing resources was a significant hurdle for many youth groups working on climate-related projects, noting that the lack of a coordinated effort has limited their ability to attract the necessary funding.
“Funding is important because you need resources to address some of the climate change challenges. However, the problem lies in the fact that the youth have not come together to form a collective front, which would help them secure the type of funding needed to implement their projects,” he stated.
Mr. Owusu Ansah further noted that the conference would play a pivotal role in addressing this issue by creating a platform for all youth groups to unite under a single umbrella. The National Youth Authority, he said, would coordinate this collective effort, providing an avenue for youth-led organizations to access funding opportunities not only at the national level but also from global sources.
“This conference is important because it is going to bring all the youth under one umbrella, coordinated by the National Youth Authority. With this common front, we can explore available funding sources, not just at the national level, but also globally,” he added.
Rally behind policies
He further called on the younger generation to rally behind government policies on climate change. He expressed concern that only a small fraction of Ghanaian youth are aware of the climate crisis, its causes, and its long-term impact on their future.
“We need the younger generation to support every policy that the government is implementing to combat climate change. Currently, only a small fraction of young people are aware of the phenomenon. The question is, how do we get the majority of youth on board? Are they aware of the changing trends of the climate phenomenon and the causes of climate change?” he asked.
Critical for devt
Dr. Daniel Benefoh, Acting Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has touched on the critical intersection between climate change and national development.
He stressed that climate change is now at the forefront of development concerns and should be a key consideration for policymakers, businesses, and citizens alike. He reiterated that creating widespread awareness and empowering the youth were essential steps in addressing the ongoing climate crisis.
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