The Ayawaso North Municipal Assembly has inaugurated a 25-member Youth Committee to help identify unemployed young people and develop strategies to address youth unemployment in the municipality.

The committee was inaugurated as part of efforts to tackle unemployment and other social challenges affecting young people, including substance abuse, crime and mental health issues.

Before their inauguration, committee members participated in a two-day orientation workshop organised by the National Youth Authority (NYA) with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Ayawaso North Municipal Assembly.

Speaking after the inauguration, the Greater Accra Regional Director of the National Youth Authority, Mr. Mathias Kofi Blay, said the committee would identify the youth population within the municipality, particularly unemployed young people, and gather data on the challenges affecting them.

He said the information collected would help authorities design interventions and create opportunities for skills training, entrepreneurship and employment.

Mr. Blay added that the committee would develop a Youth Development Plan for the municipality to guide efforts aimed at addressing youth unemployment and related challenges.

The Municipal Coordinating Director for Ayawaso North, Jamari Dramani, said youth unemployment, drug abuse and poor parental care continue to affect many young people in the municipality.

He noted that the Assembly is seeking partnerships with non-governmental and faith-based organisations to provide skills training and employment opportunities for the youth.

According to him, equipping young people with vocational and entrepreneurial skills will help improve their livelihoods and reduce social problems within the municipality.

The initiative forms part of a broader National Youth Authority programme expected to be implemented across all 29 districts in the Greater Accra Region.

The committee members expressed appreciation for the opportunity and pledged to work towards identifying and addressing youth unemployment challenges in the municipality.