"Yearn for knowledge, read everything as far as you are inquisitive and arm yourself with knowledge and you will continue to remain relevant as leaders," these are kind words of advice from Peter Akai Anum, the Executive Director of the Head State Award Scheme - Ghana to youth leaders across the country.

Mr. Anum stressing on the importance of knowledge in making a leader stand out added: "The power of knowledge is very key in leadership which means that as a leader, you must always continue to gain knowledge, know everything, whether it's your field or not".

The Head of State Award Scheme boss was addressing some selected youth leaders representing the National Youth Leaders Network at the Youth Regional Networks Leadership Training Program organized by FOSDA with support from Oxfam in Accra on October 18.

The 2-day intensive leadership training program offered seventeen (17) selected youth leaders who are members of the biggest youth network in the country the opportunity to acquire leadership skills to enable them to positively impact the youth and continue to champion youth initiatives that will bring about change.

They participants were taken through various training modules which include 'Leadership and its Essence, Types of Leadership, Ethics in Leadership, Decision making and Leadership, Gender and Leadership and Team and Leadership.

According to Susana Sugri Batesima, Program Officer of Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA), the capacity building workshop seeks to empower the participants with adequate skills and knowledge to help them build their various networks and better position themselves to continue to advocate for change, demand accountability from duty bearers in a bid to impact the lives of the youth.

Touching on the training program in an interview, she revealed that it will be extended to cover some other selected youth leaders within four other regions apart from the Greater Accra and the Ashanti Region which brought together the 17 selected youth leaders from Accra and Kumasi representing the first batch of the beneficiaries.

"We will be moving from here to the Volta Region where youth leaders from Oti and Volta Region will be engaged. Then we travel down to the Upper West Region, where we will train also Upper East and the Upper West Regional Youth Leaders".

Mad. Batesima appealed to the youth to take advantage of the social media including online courses to always empower themselves with knowledge, lean new things to positively continue to influence development and transform the youth.

For his part, Lead Facilitator and Consultant of the training, Mr. Godson Charnor admonished the participants to see themselves as positive development agents who are destined to bring change to our community and the country at large with focus on good effective leadership skills.

The 2-day training program was facilitated by Godson Charnor(Lead Facilitator) Theodora Williams Anti, (Programme Manager of FOSDA) , Susana Sugri Batesima(Program Officer of FOSDA and Irene Okrah (Gender Advocate)

FOSDA has over the years worked intensively with youths across the country. With emphasis on strengthening the youth, the NGO has managed to build regional Youth Networks representing various districts and individuals Youth Networks across the country.