Celebrated Ghanaian business mogul and entrepreneur, Richard Nii Amarh Quaye, has admonished the youth of Ghana to be willing to learn through their own experiences if they want to succeed in building long-lasting businesses that positively impact society.
His call came during the recent Africa Rising symposium held by the organizers of the EMY Africa Awards at the Accra International Conference Centre on June 19.
The event served as a precursor to a four-day exhibition featuring business pitches, networking sessions, fashion shows, an automobile exhibition, and an art showcase—all focused on celebrating outstanding indigenous youth-led businesses across the continent.
Speaking at the event, the President of RNAQ Holdings, Richard Nii Amarh Quaye, emphasized that it is time for the youth of Africa to shift their mindset from merely obtaining degrees and waiting for white-collar jobs to actively identifying societal problems and crafting innovative solutions.
“African youth must use this decade to move beyond the dependency syndrome of acquiring education only to wait for government employment before contributing meaningfully to society.
“The world is rapidly changing, with AI and advanced technologies already threatening to eliminate many routine jobs. As such, the youth must focus on identifying societal problems and collaborating to develop sustainable solutions that can evolve into viable business ventures.
“That is the only way to escape the rat race of job dependency, which is becoming increasingly difficult for governments across Africa to sustain due to limited resources and fiscal constraints.”
Mr. Quaye also encouraged young people to deliberately create room for their voices to be heard in national discourse and policy development.
“The era where leaders received free education and allowances to earn degrees is long gone. Today’s youth must be ready to earn a seat at the policy-making table by generating bold and creative ideas that challenge the status quo.
“The world is becoming more complex, and the youth must not wait for unsustainable freebies or giveaways. Instead, apply your education to influence national development. In the long run, your ideas will be the foundation for sustainable jobs and growth that will drive Africa to achieve its long-awaited potential.”
The symposium drew a large and diverse audience, including young business leaders, policymakers, journalists, university students, academics, and members of the public from across Africa.
Notable speakers at the event included Dr. Ernest Ofori Sarpong, Executive Chairman of Special Investment Holdings; Dr. James Orleans-Lindsay, Executive Chairman of JL Holdings; Michelle McKinney Hammond, business leader and life coach; Amma Gyampo, CEO of the Ghana Venture Capital and Private Equity Association; Valerie Larbi, Co-Founder of WAHU Mobility; Member of Parliament Yussif Jajah; UNESCO Country Lead, Mr. Edmond Moukala; and the Founder of the EMY Africa Awards, Kojo Soboh.
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Story by Sika Togoh |univers.ug.edu.gh
