An indigene of Bakpa in the Volta Region and a Partner at Ernst & Young, Samuel Agbevem has charged the youth especially those living in Bakpa traditional area to gear up and take the reins of leadership and development in their communities despite the current economic conditions.

He was speaking earlier this week at the launch of Bakpa Youth Empowerment Foundation (BaYEF), a youth-driven organisation committed to self-actualisation and community development of the Youth in Bakpa and the Volta Region.

He admonished the older generation to become good mentors to the youth since failure to do so will leave the youth to be mentored by others with bad characters to the detriment of the community and the nation at large.

Mr. Agbevem also pledged his commitment to BaYEF and highlighted the immediate measures in youth entrepreneurship and quality education the organisation has put in place for its ambition.

The launch which brought together over 400 youth in Bakpa and its surrounding communities was graced by various dignitaries across the country.

Notable amongst them are Samuel Saga Avusu, Chairman, Bakpa Development Association & CEO of Finest Oil; Yao Semorde, Volta Regional Director of the National Youth Authority; Abraham Nyidawu, Mr. Yao Amekor (BDA Secretary) as well as traditional rulers from the area.

In his address, the Guest speaker, Mr C.K. Eleblu, former Financial Controller at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly enumerated the importance of the Youth focusing on their mental development, adding that the biggest gift they can ever have is a focused and developed mental attitude with good human network.

Launching the Foundation and the Bakpa Youth Policy, Seth Oteng, Executive Director of the Youth Bridge Foundation (YBF) urged the leadership of BaYEF not to limit their impact to selected young persons but to pursue an inclusive youth development agenda where the interest of everyone is brought on board i.e., in school and out of school youth as well as youth living with disability.

He also expressed his gratitude for the partnership between BaYEF and YBF.

Ahead of the official launch BaYEF engaged in other humanitarian programs like the distribution of sanitizers during COVID 19, community cleaning, sports gala for the youth and a policy formulation conference with youth leaders and traditional leaders including queen mothers across the Bakpa traditional area.