Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Osman Ayariga, has praised President John Dramani Mahama for what he described as the administration’s broad focus on issues affecting Ghanaian youth.

Mr Ayariga said the government had demonstrated its commitment to youth development through the creation of the Ministry for Youth Development and Empowerment and the implementation of programmes aimed at equipping young people with skills and opportunities.

Speaking at the National Youth Forum organised by the ministry at UPSA on Wednesday, August 19, he said the government was working across several areas to improve opportunities for young Ghanaians.

He highlighted the National Apprenticeship Programme, which he said had exceeded its initial target of 10,000 beneficiaries and reached 14,000, as well as efforts to support young entrepreneurs through engagements with the Ghana Revenue Authority.

Mr Ayariga also pointed to the government’s focus on skills development, mentoring, standardisation and the creation of an enabling environment for young people to establish businesses and create jobs.

He said President Mahama deserved commendation for the measures being implemented to address the concerns of the youth.

“President Mahama is ‘clocking everywhere in his government’,” he said, in describing what he considers the administration’s attention to multiple areas of national development.

He urged stakeholders to continue investing in Ghana’s young people, arguing that empowering them today would strengthen the country’s economic and governance prospects tomorrow.