Ghana Youth Minister Opare Addo urges confidence and flood action among young people

Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment George Opare Addo addressed Ghanaian youth, urging them not to let unemployment or temporary setbacks diminish their confidence. He told young people, “My brothers and sisters, your story is not finished. Your background does not undermine your destination,” and warned against measuring success by social‑media depictions.

At the launch of the National Youth Festival 2026 in Accra, Opare Addo proposed an “Adopt a Drain” campaign to involve young citizens in flood prevention. Citing recent floods that claimed about 17 lives, he called on youths to keep community drains clear, saying, “Let us launch a campaign called ‘Adopt a Drain’… If our drains are desilted, if our drains are not choked a lot of the flooding will not happen.” The minister emphasized that flood mitigation should be a shared responsibility between government and the youth.