A Business Development Consultant and Lead at ReGanz Business Consult, Blaise Agana, has expressed concerns about the apathy of young people towards personal development and capacity-building programs.
Speaking to A1 Radio’s Mark Smith, Mr. Agana explained that even when program participants are entitled to stipends or allowances, they still do not show up for events.
“The general attitude of us, young people, towards personal development and capacity-building programs is a significant challenge. First, as a program organizer, you need to struggle to get them to even register for the program. After going through the struggle, you then have to struggle to get them to attend the program.”
“Just recently, there was BICAF. For the business and investment forum, we partnered with Trade Aid to put it together. My organization struggled to get people to register, and finally, we got 59 young people to attend this program. On the day of the event, I had to personally call young people. Out of 59, only 10 of them showed up.”
Mr. Agana explained that most of the people who were contacted said things like “oh, we have forgotten” or “something came up, so I am busy.”
He continued to say, some of them would ask you, “Is there food? Is there transportation?”
Mr. Blaise said that until young people actively pursue their development, they will continue to lag behind.
Also, the CEO of Norgence IT Academy, Albert Naa, is encouraging young people to make deliberate decisions that fuel their personal development. He spoke on the Day Break Upper East Show on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.
The conversation around participation in personal development programs began after the host of A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show, Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith, shared insights after leading the organization of two youth-oriented programs in the region over the last two years.
“We can’t say we are planning for what we want to be tomorrow when we don’t work towards becoming that. You would end up, let me use this loosely, living your life hand-to-mouth. You will only live in the moment. We don’t have to forget that a time is coming when that energy will not be there to do ‘kpakpakpa.’ So what do you do? You have to think about personal development. As an individual, do you want to become a better version of yourself? Do you want to be the best version of yourself? If you do, what are you doing about it?”
Meanwhile, the CEO of AquaBolg Natural Mineral Water, esteemed media practitioner, and football administrator, Humul Khrusum Tahiru, has raised concerns about the interest of young people in the Upper East Region in participating in various programs, including religious and personal development activities.
Madam Tahiru explained that the situation is exceptionally worse when considering personal development programs.
“Even with entertainment and religious programs, I doubt if we have the interest to the level where we would have wanted young people to be interested. Generally, we have a bad attitude when it comes to program attendance in this region. It doesn’t matter what kind of program it is. But it becomes worse when it comes to capacity-building programs. Sometimes, they feel that it is of no essence,” she said.
Additionally, Raymond Ayinne, a Youth Activist, has also expressed strong disappointment over the general disinterest of the youth in personal development and capacity-building programs.
Mr. Ayinne, who has been part of the organisation of many youth-led and beneficial programs, explained that it was unfortunate that young people do not participate in such programs.
The conversation around participation in personal development programs began after the host of A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show, Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith, shared some insights after leading the organisation of two youth-oriented programs in the region over the last two years.
“I have been involved in a number of activities geared towards empowering young people, and you realise that despite all your marketing and promotional efforts, many young people are adamant. Let me digress a bit to say that the situation in the Upper East Region is not peculiar to Northern Ghana. If you go to Tamale and organise an event, and you put out a flyer, people contact you for details of the activities. That is the sort of demonstration of interest in their self-development. You also see that in the Upper West Region. In the case of the Upper West Region, 30 minutes before the start of the program, the hall will be filled with people who have seen it and are chasing you to be part of it. People also call you and give you feedback on how to improve the programs. The same cannot be said about the Upper East Region,” he said.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
