Ghana’s No.1 Youth station, YFM has paid a courtesy call on the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment as part of its efforts to build a working relationship aimed at supporting youth-focused initiatives across the country.
The delegation was led by Dr. Timothy Karikari, the Director of Broadcasting at Global Media Alliance Broadcasting Company (GMABC). He was accompanied by YFM Accra’s Manager, Erskine Amo Whyte (Rev Erskine); Client Service and Partnerships Head, Mrs. Mary Opoku-Gyan; Head of Digital, Mr. George Nkunu; Media Executives, Philip Nii Darku Ankrah & Judeliver Eli Ahashie and the Head of Digital Production, George Shackleford.
Addressing the team, the Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, Hon. Lawyer George Opare Addo, explained that the Ministry’s work is currently structured around five key thematic areas, which include health and well-being, education and skills development, youth empowerment, leadership development, and patriotism. Mr. Opare Addo noted that following the establishment of the Ministry, significant effort was placed on gathering data to better understand the challenges facing young people. “As a new Ministry, we needed a baseline to guide our interventions. We have conducted empirical research and studies so that our decisions are driven by data, not assumptions,” he said.
He further indicated that government’s flagship programmes such as the National Apprenticeship Programme and the Adwumawura initiative have already led to the training of thousands of young people, providing them with employable skills and start-up support.
The Minister also highlighted findings from recent research, particularly on youth drug use, noting that early exposure is prevalent among young people between the ages of 14 and 15. He stressed the need for sustained awareness and collaboration to address the issue.
Beyond training and health, he added that the Ministry is working on initiatives to promote volunteerism among young people, including the development of a national volunteer framework to guide and regulate volunteer activities. On the digital front, the Ministry has introduced the Youth Explorer app, an interactive platform designed to support young people with mentorship, career guidance, and access to opportunities.
Speaking on behalf of the YFM Triangle team, Dr. Timothy Karikari expressed the company’s interest in supporting the Ministry’s agenda through its strategic platforms and businesses.
He noted that as Ghana’s No.1 youth station and leading the narrative on music and entertainment programing, YFM is well-positioned to support the ministry’s initiatives. “We believe our platforms can help amplify these initiatives and bring them closer to young people,” he said.
Both parties further explored opportunities for joint campaigns and engagements to drive the national agenda.
The visit ended with a symbolic presentation by the YFM team, as the Minister was assigned an executive number, “E019,” in recognition of his role as Ghana’s first Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment.
The engagement marks a step towards closer collaboration between the Ministry and Ghana’s leading youth-focused media brand, YFM.
