The Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Osman Abdulai Ayariga Esq., has reaffirmed the government’s determination to equip Ghanaian youth with modern, relevant, and transformative skills through the ongoing National Apprenticeship Programme (NAP).
Addressing participants at the 2025 World Youth Skills Day Dialogue in Accra, Mr. Ayariga underlined the dual purpose of the programme, providing hands-on training and instilling entrepreneurial drive in young people.
“The National Apprenticeship Programme is designed not just to provide skills, but also to ignite a spirit of entrepreneurship among our young people,” he stated.
The event, themed “Youth Empowerment through AI & Digitalization: The Role of Technology in Hands-On Skills for the Future Workforce”, brought together youth leaders, policymakers, development partners, and advocates to explore how technology can power the next generation of skilled workers.
Mr. Ayariga explained that the NYA’s approach to youth development is transformational rather than transactional, going far beyond routine vocational instruction.
“Our commitment to implementing the National Apprenticeship Programme reflects our belief that skills development is not merely about training; it’s about transformation,” he declared.
He stressed that the Fourth Industrial Revolution, marked by rapid advances in artificial intelligence and digital technology, demands a radical rethinking of how Ghana prepares its young workforce.
“The future of work will not wait,” he warned. “Our youth must not just be consumers of technology, but creators, innovators, and problem-solvers.”
According to Mr. Ayariga, the NYA is working with institutions such as GTVET, CTVET, and several international development agencies to democratize access to technology and innovation, ensuring that no young Ghanaian is left behind in the digital age.
He also issued a rallying call to all stakeholders—government, private sector, academia, development partners, and youth—to pool resources and ideas to accelerate national development through inclusive and technology-driven training.
“To every young person listening—you are not the future, you are the present,” Mr. Ayariga affirmed. “Your hands, your ideas, your resilience, and your curiosity are what will shape Ghana’s transformation.”
The 2025 World Youth Skills Day Dialogue concluded with renewed energy and unified commitment from all stakeholders to scale up investment in inclusive, digitally empowered, and entrepreneurially focused youth development programmes.
