The Bono Regional Minister, Joseph Addae Akwaboah (Esq.), has appealed to Fondation Botnar and Ecorys UK to consider extending the Resilient City for Adolescents (RCA) Project in Sunyani due to its significant impact on the lives of young people and vulnerable communities in the municipality.
According to him, the project has become one of the most impactful adolescent-focused interventions in the Bono Region, positively transforming lives through youth empowerment, skills development, mentorship and improved participation in governance and decision-making.
The Minister made the appeal in a speech read on his behalf by the Bono Regional Coordinating Director, Mr. David P. Nar-ire, at the Close-Out and Learning Summit of the RCA Project held at the Sheila’s Executive Hotel in Sunyani.
Mr. Addae Akwaboah noted that the project, implemented by Global Media Foundation (GLOMEF) in partnership with Citizens Watch Ghana and Indigenous Women Empowerment Network (IWEN), successfully addressed critical challenges affecting adolescents in growing secondary cities, including youth unemployment, rural-urban migration and limited access to quality health, education and social services.
He explained that the RCA Project adopted a city-wide multi-stakeholder approach to strengthen systems supporting adolescent wellbeing, governance participation, economic empowerment and resilience.
The Minister highlighted several achievements of the project, including the establishment of the Sunyani Adolescent Parliament and an Intermediary City Ecosystem Platform (ICEP), which enhanced adolescent participation in city-level planning and decision-making processes.
He also praised the creation of the Adolescent ICT Clinic and strengthened school and community-based platforms that provided sexual, mental and reproductive health education and mentorship opportunities for adolescents.
According to him, the project further equipped young people with digital, vocational and entrepreneurial skills, helping to build their confidence, improve their capacities and renew their hope for the future.
Mr. Addae Akwaboah commended Fondation Botnar, Ecorys UK, Global Media Foundation, Citizens Watch Ghana and Indigenous Women Empowerment Network for what he described as a laudable and impactful intervention.
He expressed hope that the successful close-out of the RCA Project would pave the way for another phase of implementation to sustain and expand the gains achieved over the years.
“As we officially bring the RCA Project to a close, let us carry forward the lessons learnt, preserve the partnerships established and remain committed to building resilient and prosperous communities”.
The Minister on the other hand, reiterated government’s commitment to youth empowerment through initiatives such as the National Apprenticeship Programme, Adwumawura Programme, National Coders Programme and the Youth in Agriculture and Agribusiness Initiative.
Participants at the summit, including adolescents, parents, teachers, traditional authorities, civil society organizations and government institutions, expressed mixed feelings over the end of the project, describing it as a transformative intervention that positively impacted many young lives in Sunyani.
Many beneficiaries openly appealed for the continuation of the project, stressing that the intervention had created opportunities, inspired hope and empowered adolescents to contribute meaningfully to community development.
