Youth activist and former President of the World Universities Debating Council (WUDC), Antonio Edem Asinyo, has urged young Ghanaians to prepare themselves to take advantage of available opportunities, stressing that ambition alone is not enough to turn aspirations into success.

In a statement to mark International Youth Day 2026, Mr. Asinyo said the country must work to close what he described as the gap between young people's ambitions and the opportunities available to them.

“Our young people do not lack ambition. What we must continue to close is the gap between ambition and opportunity,” he said.

This year's International Youth Day theme, “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations", highlights the common aspirations of young people despite differences in their circumstances.

Mr. Asinyo noted that a young person in Tamale may face different challenges from one in Takoradi, Kumasi or Accra but said their aspirations for quality education, meaningful employment, dignity, opportunity and a voice in decisions affecting their future remain largely the same.

He welcomed government efforts to expand opportunities for young people through skills development, entrepreneurship, employment, education and digital innovation.

However, he stressed that such opportunities would only become meaningful when young people are adequately prepared to take advantage of them.

He urged the youth not to wait for what he described as the “perfect opportunity" but to actively prepare by acquiring skills, building networks, embracing technology, taking internships seriously, volunteering and continuing to learn.

“Opportunity may open the door, but preparation determines who is ready to walk through it,” Mr. Asinyo said.

He further called for a collective approach to youth development, saying government, the private sector, institutions and young people all have important roles to play.

According to him, government must create the right environment, the private sector must provide opportunities and institutions must open doors, while young people must prepare themselves and take responsibility for the future they want.

Mr. Asinyo said Ghana's goal should be to build a society where talent is not limited by geography, opportunity is not determined by background and a young person's circumstances do not become the ceiling of their dreams.

He encouraged young Ghanaians to remain hopeful, purposeful and determined, reminding them that their circumstances may explain where they begin but should not determine where they end.

He concluded by urging the youth to “dream boldly,” “prepare deliberately” and “seize every opportunity” as partners in building the Ghana they want to inherit.