Mr. Daniel N. Kolubah, the Presidential Envoy for Trade Investments and Special Duties of the Republic of Liberia, has emphasized the need for an enabling environment for young Africans to nurture their talents, ideas, and ambitions. He made this call at the launch of the Anwelle Foundation in Jirapa, in the Upper West Region of Ghana. The event drew a large crowd, including government officials, traditional authorities, civil society actors, business leaders, and international guests.
According to Mr. Kolubah, Africa is endowed with talented, creative, and ambitious young people, but their potential is constrained by limited access to capital, networks, markets, technology, and other opportunities. He stressed that interventions are needed to enable young people to turn their ideas and talents into opportunities for sustainable livelihoods and development. This, he believes, can be achieved by providing governments that offer enabling environments for innovation and enterprise.
Mr. Kolubah praised the Anwelle Foundation for its potential to contribute to addressing some of the constraints faced by young people and communities. He indicated that the foundation can become a platform that connects people with opportunities, mobilizes partnerships and resources, and empowers communities, translating goodwill into measurable results. He urged the foundation's leadership to focus on practical, sustainable, and measurable interventions that create opportunities for young people.
The Presidential Envoy's comments were echoed by Mr. Charles Lwanga Puozuing, the Upper West Regional Minister. He called for support for the Anwelle Foundation, citing its mandate in education, healthcare, youth and women empowerment, entrepreneurship, and agriculture, among others, which aligns with key development needs of the region. Mr. Puozuing emphasized that young people must be recognized as active participants in development, rather than merely being described as "leaders of tomorrow."
Mr. Puozuing encouraged the foundation and its partners to invest in skills, mentorship, innovation, entrepreneurship, and access to finance and productive assets, particularly for young people and women. He believes that such interventions can help young people move from dependency to productive livelihoods. Additionally, he called for stronger collaboration among government, traditional authorities, civil society, the private sector, and development partners to ensure that development opportunities reach communities across the region.
The launch of the Anwelle Foundation attracted scores of people from the region and beyond. The foundation's interventions are expected to complement government initiatives while maintaining transparency, accountability, and measurable outcomes. According to Mr. Kolubah, the success of the foundation should be measured by the impacts it makes, such as the young people it empowers, communities it strengthens, opportunities it creates, and partnerships it builds.
The Presidential Envoy's visit to Ghana and his address at the launch of the Anwelle Foundation underscore the importance of creating opportunities for young people in Africa. His call for an enabling environment for young Africans to develop their talents and ideas is a timely reminder of the need for governments, businesses, and civil society to work together to unlock the potential of the continent's youth.
Key points
- The Presidential Envoy for Trade Investments and Special Duties of the Republic of Liberia, Daniel N. Kolubah, has called for an enabling environment to help young Africans develop their talents and ideas.
- The Anwelle Foundation has been launched in Ghana's Upper West Region to support young people and communities.
- The foundation's interventions are expected to complement government initiatives while maintaining transparency, accountability, and measurable outcomes.
