YEC swears in 170 youth MPs and Ministers, founder urges greater stakeholder collaboration

The Youth Empowerment Consortium (YEC), a civic organisation dedicated to promoting youth participation in governance and socio-economic development, on Saturday, May 3, 2025, held an inauguration ceremony at the University of Ghana, Legon.

The event marked the official induction of 170 newly elected Youth Members of Parliament and Cabinet Ministers under the Consortium’s flagship leadership development programme.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the event, Mr. Edward Marfo, Founder and Acting General Secretary of YEC, called on stakeholders across the public and private sectors to support the organisation’s efforts in grooming young leaders for mainstream politics.

“The youths are ever poised at building themselves up to take up and fit into leadership roles come tomorrow,” Mr. Marfo stated. 

“I will only call on stakeholders—the government, individuals, anyone who may chance on this video—that the youths are ready to engage at the community level to build themselves and the nation. Make a contribution—a positive one,” he urged.

Mr. Marfo emphasized that YEC’s primary challenge is limited resources and funding, and he appealed to prospective partners to come on board. “All we need is the guidance and resources at some level, and we use this opportunity to reach out. We are open for partnership and collaboration. So if anyone is into what we do and sees it as something meaningful, our doors are always open.”

He also charged the newly sworn-in youth officials to take the training sessions seriously, describing them as essential to their personal and professional development.

“We don’t just train them to become honourable members in the future; we also equip them with skills to run NGOs. Many of them already operate NGOs in their localities,” he added.

Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Dan Lartey Jr. of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) encouraged the youth to lead with integrity and purpose.

“Being inclusive doesn’t mean being rebellious. Rebellion destroys everything one starts with. The time for youth to take over is now—not tomorrow. Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Nelson Mandela all started as youths before ascending to leadership,” Dr. Lartey noted.

Dr. Lartey pledged his support to YEC, promising to provide training and other forms of assistance. On the topic of corruption, he expressed strong disapproval and suggested a return to domestic economic policies such as agriculture.

“I detest corruption to the core. To fight it, we must find its roots. Eat what you grow, and grow what you eat. Let’s return to the land,” he said.

For his part, Deputy Director of the Catholic Health Services Trust, Dr. Lawrence Ofosu Adjare, who was also a guest speaker at the occasion, urged the youth to serve with humility and a sense of legacy.

“Serve and build with humility. Leave a legacy—not just wealth,” he advised. “Resilience is key. The path to leadership comes with challenges, and one must be able to withstand them.”

Addressing the topic of youth in public service, Dr. Ofosu-Adjare stressed the importance of value-driven leadership.

“Public officers are not there to amass wealth but to mobilise the little resources available to improve the lives of the people,” he concluded.

The inauguration marks a significant milestone in YEC’s mission to develop a generation of capable, ethical, and community-minded leaders across Ghana.