Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has urged the youth to be innovative and prepare for leadership roles for the future.

He said the youth played a critical part in national discourse, therefore, their capacities needed to be enhanced so that they would deliver when given the opportunity to serve in leadership roles.

Vice President Bawumia made the call when the leadership of Junior Chamber International (JCI), a youth volunteer group, led by its international Vice President, Mrs. Reem Abdel­Hadi, paid a courtesy call on
him at the Flagstaff House, at the weekend.

The group used the occasion to officially introduce the new JCI leadership in Ghana and outline its plans for the country.

The Vice President lauded the group for its good objectives, saying the continuous existence of the organisation for over hundred years affirmed the good works it had been pursuing to better the lives of
people in the society.

“The youth are the future of this country and needed to be empowered to deliver. The youth should be innovative, and I encourage you to do more and the sky will be the limit,” he said.

Dr. Bawumia noted that national development was a collective effort and that government was grateful for its contributions, especially offering the youth the opportunity to develop themselves.

Mrs Abdel­Hadi lauded Dr. Bawumia for the active role he had played in helping the youth to take part in nation building and government’s youth­friendly policies.

Mr Stephen Kwaku Darku, the President of the Ghana Chapter, said the Organisation was liaising with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Youth Authority to develop a 10­year national
volunteering strategy dubbed: ‘Active Citizens Campaign’, to re­ignite the spirit of volunteerism among the Ghanaian youth.

Mr. Emmanuel Asigri, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority, pledged his organisation’s commitment to the “fruitful partnership” with JCI, especially in the quest to encourage youth
volunteerism.

JCI is a non­profit organization of young people from 18 to 40yrs who are committed to creating meaningful impacts in their communities through volunteerism.

Some prominent personalities who are members of the group included Kofi Annan, a former UN Secretary­General, Mr. Bill Clinton and John Fitzgerald Kennedy, both former Presidents of the United States of
America.

The group has been in existence for over 100 years, but the Ghana chapter was established about 11 years ago