BY: Lambert Coffie | Voltaonlinegh.com |
A training session on Youth Leadership and Advocacy has been organised for some 30 young people within the Ho Municipality to ignite their interest in local governance and advocacy.
The training held on Thursday, August 10th in Ho, and was part of a 3-year ‘Young and Safe’ project, led by Node Eight, a digital innovation hub, in collaboration with the Ho Municipal Assembly, LoveAid Foundation, and the Ghana Education Service.
Mr. Mawunyo Agbe, Presiding Member of the Ho Municipal Assembly, exposed participants to Ghana’s local government system, its legal and administrative framework. He also shared practical communication and marketing tips for participating in local assembly elections, while encouraging the young people to take a keen interest and actively participate in the local governance process.
A Senior State Attorney, Mr. Andrews Dodzi Adugu, stressed the importance of advocacy in driving meaningful change in society and urged young people to adopt various advocacy tools to demand accountability from duty bearers. This, he however, emphasised should be done devoid of the use of intemperate language and personal attacks.
Participants were also introduced to various leadership styles and traits by Mr. Vincent Adzika, Muncipal Director of NCCE, and were educated on how they can develop these traits.
Mr. Courage Asase, Managing Director of Node 8, underscored the importance of training in enhancing the leadership and advocacy skills of the youth, enabling them to actively participate in the local governance system while building relevant networks.
Regarding the overall Young and Safe project, he noted that the initiative, supported by Fondation Botnar through the Healthy Cities for Adolescents Project, seeks to address key issues such as youth participation in city governance, sexual and reproductive health, mental health support, creative self-expression, and digital employment opportunities by leveraging the capabilities of each partner.
