Communiqué by Western Regional Youth Wing on 2nd Quadrennial Regional Youth Conference

COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED BY THE WESTERN REGIONAL YOUTH WING FOLLOWING THE 2ND QUADRENNIAL REGIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE

Theme: Building on the Past: Empowering the Future

Date: 7th Friday – Saturday, 8th August, 2026
Venue: TTU Auditorium, Takoradi

The Western Regional Youth Wing successfully held its 2nd Quadrennial Regional Youth Conference under the theme “Building on the Past: Empowering the Future.” The two day conference brought together youth leaders, Constituency Youth Organisers, Branch Youth executives, TEIN representatives, party activists, members of dynamic ladies, members of Regional Youth Working Committees, patrons, government appointees, Members of Parliament, and distinguished stakeholders from across the Region.

The conferences saw massive attendance of high-profile personalities including Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. George Opare Addo, Minister of Youth Development and Empowerment, Hon Joseph Nelson, the Regional Minister, H. E. Maxwell Palasco Boakye, Council of State Member and Hon. Akwasi Opong-Fosu, Former Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, as well as Prof. Grace Ayensu-Danquah (Hon), Deputy Minister of Health.

Others gracing the ocassion were Commander Osman Abdulai Ayariga, Deputy National Youth Organiser who doubled as the CEO of National Youth Authority, Comrade Malik Basintale, Deputy National Communications Officer and CEO of Youth Employment Agency, representation of Parliamentary Caucus and MMDCES and host of others.

After extensive deliberations on the state of the Party, youth development, governance, and the future of the Region, the Conference unanimously adopted the following resolutions:

GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND STRATEGIES

1. Commendation of the Government

The Conference commends H.E. President John Dramani Mahama, the Vice President, Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, and all government appointees for their commitment to resetting Ghana’s economy, restoring public confidence, and laying the foundation for sustainable national development.

2. Economic Recovery and Job Creation

The Conference acknowledged the Government’s efforts to stabilise the economy and called for sustained implementation of policies that stimulate private sector growth, promote industrialisation, reduce the cost of doing business, and create sustainable employment opportunities for young people.

3. Accelerated Development of the Western Region

The Conference called on Government to prioritise key development projects in the Western Region, including the Petroleum Hub Project, road rehabilitation, railway modernisation, expansion of the Takoradi Port, improved healthcare facilities, educational infrastructure, water systems, and investments in agriculture and fisheries.

4. Good Governance and Accountability

The Conference reaffirmed the importance of transparency, integrity, prudent management of public resources, and accountable leadership at all levels of government, and encouraged continuous engagement between public office holders and the citizens they serve.

5. Strengthening Party–Government Collaboration

The Conference urged stronger collaboration between Government and Party structures to improve policy communication, monitor programme implementation, strengthen grassroots engagement, and ensure that the benefits of government interventions are widely understood and accessible.

6. Sustaining Public Confidence

The Conference encouraged all Government officials to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, humility, responsiveness, and ethical leadership in order to sustain the confidence reposed in the NDC by the Ghanaian people.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND EMPOWERMENT

7. Youth Employment as a National Priority

The Conference called on Government to continue placing youth employment at the centre of national development planning by expanding programmes that create sustainable and decent jobs across all sectors of the economy.

8. Skills Development and Technical Training

The Conference urged increased investment in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), apprenticeships, digital literacy, innovation, and entrepreneurship programmes to equip young people with skills that meet the demands of a rapidly evolving labour market. It applauded for its youth oriented policies.

9. Entrepreneurship and Access to Finance

The Conference called for the establishment and expansion of youth enterprise support schemes, including access to affordable credit, business incubation, mentoring, grants, and market opportunities to enable young entrepreneurs to establish and grow successful businesses.

10. Strengthening Public-Private Partnerships

The Conference encouraged stronger collaboration between Government and the private sector to create internships, graduate trainee programmes, industrial attachments, and employment pathways for graduates and skilled young people.

ON PERFORMANCE OF OUR MPs

11. Commendation of Members of Parliament

The Conference commends all NDC Members of Parliament from the Western Region for their dedication to representing their constituents, contributing to parliamentary debates, supporting government policies, and engaging with their communities on matters of national and local importance.

12. Responsive and Accessible Leadership

The Conference urged all Members of Parliament to maintain close and regular engagement with their constituents through community forums, constituency consultations, and stakeholder meetings to ensure that the voices and concerns of the people continue to inform parliamentary advocacy and decision-making.

13. Youth-Centred Representation

The Conference called upon Members of Parliament to place youth development at the centre of their legislative and constituency priorities by championing policies that promote employment, entrepreneurship, quality education, technical and vocational training, digital innovation, sports development, and skills acquisition.

14. Support for Strategic Development Projects

The Conference urged Members of Parliament to actively support and advocate for strategic national initiatives that will transform the Western Region, including the Petroleum Hub Project, expansion of the Takoradi Port, improved rail infrastructure, industrialisation, responsible natural resource management, and investments in agriculture, fisheries, tourism, and the blue economy.

15. Accountability and Transparency

The Conference reaffirmed the importance of accountability, integrity, and transparency in public service and encouraged Members of Parliament to provide regular updates to their constituents on legislative work, constituency development initiatives, and the utilisation of public resources.

16. Collaboration with Party Structures

The Conference called for stronger collaboration between Members of Parliament and the Regional, Constituency, Branch, and TEIN structures of the Party to enhance mobilisation, civic education, policy communication, and grassroots development initiatives.

17. Mentorship and Leadership Development

The Conference encouraged Members of Parliament to mentor young leaders by creating opportunities for internships, leadership training, policy engagement, and political participation, thereby nurturing the next generation of public servants and national leaders.

18. Delivering on the People’s Mandate

The Conference emphasised that the confidence placed in the NDC by the people of the Western Region should be matched with diligence, humility, responsiveness, and measurable development outcomes that improve the quality of life of citizens.

ON PERFORMANCE OF OUR MMDCES

19. Commendation of MMDCEs

The Conference commends the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives in the Western Region for their dedication to public service and their efforts to improve local governance, strengthen decentralisation, and deliver essential services to their respective communities.

20. Responsive and Inclusive Leadership

The Conference urged all MMDCEs to maintain open, transparent, and regular engagement with traditional authorities, Assembly Members, Unit Committee Members, youth groups, women’s organisations, persons with disabilities, religious bodies, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders to promote participatory and inclusive local governance.

21. Prioritising Youth Employment

The Conference called on all MMDCEs to place youth employment and economic empowerment at the centre of district development by supporting entrepreneurship, vocational training, digital innovation, agribusiness, apprenticeships, sports development, and local enterprise initiatives.

22. Accelerating Infrastructure Development

The Conference encouraged MMDCEs to prioritise investments in roads, schools, healthcare facilities, water and sanitation systems, markets, drainage, housing, and digital infrastructure to improve the quality of life of residents across the Region.

23. Environmental Protection and Sanitation

The Conference urged MMDCEs to intensify efforts to combat illegal mining, protect water bodies and forest reserves, improve waste management, enforce sanitation by-laws, and promote environmental sustainability through community education and enforcement.

24. Accountability and Transparency

The Conference reaffirmed the need for prudent financial management, transparency in the utilisation of public resources, timely execution of development projects, and regular public accountability on the performance of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.

25. Collaboration with Party Structures

The Conference encouraged stronger collaboration between MMDCEs and the Party’s Regional, Constituency, Branch, and Youth structures to improve communication, coordinate development initiatives, strengthen grassroots mobilisation, and enhance public understanding of Government programmes.

26. Supporting Strategic Development Initiatives

The Conference urged MMDCEs, particularly within the Western Region, to actively support strategic projects such as the Petroleum Hub, industrialisation initiatives, agriculture and fisheries development, tourism promotion, and investments that create jobs and stimulate local economic growth.

ON RESOURCE GOVERNANCE

27. Reaffirmation of Commitment

The Conference reaffirmed the Youth Wing’s unwavering commitment to protecting Ghana’s natural resources and preserving the country’s forests, rivers, and farmlands for present and future generations.

28. Support for Government Action

The Conference expressed its full support for all lawful and sustained efforts by the Government of H.E. President John Dramani Mahama and, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources to combat illegal mining while promoting responsible and sustainable mineral resource development.

29. Call for Strict Enforcement

The Conference called on all state institutions, particularly law enforcement and regulatory agencies, to enforce the country’s mining and environmental laws impartially, professionally, and without fear or favour.

30. Promotion of Responsible Mining

The Conference acknowledged the significant contribution of the mining sector to national development and called for increased support for responsible, licensed small-scale mining through improved regulation, access to training, technology, and environmentally sustainable mining practices.

31. Community Participation

The Conference urged traditional authorities, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, youth groups, religious organisations, and civil society to collaborate in protecting water bodies, forest reserves, and agricultural lands from destruction.

32. Youth Employment and Alternative Livelihoods

Recognising that unemployment contributes to youth participation in illegal mining, the Conference called for expanded investments in skills development, entrepreneurship, agribusiness, fisheries, tourism, and other sustainable livelihood opportunities for young people.

33.. Environmental Restoration

The Conference urged Government, mining companies, development partners, and local communities to intensify land reclamation, afforestation, and the restoration of degraded rivers and ecosystems affected by illegal mining activities.

34. Public Education

The Conference resolved that the Western Regional Youth Wing will embark on continuous public education and community engagement to raise awareness about the environmental, economic, and health consequences of illegal mining.

35. Collective Responsibility

The Conference emphasised that the fight against illegal mining is a shared national responsibility requiring integrity, accountability, and cooperation from political leaders, traditional rulers, security agencies, mining operators, and all citizens.

PETROLEUM HUB PROJECT

36. Strong Support for the Petroleum Hub Project

The Conference reaffirmed its unwavering support for the establishment and accelerated implementation of the Petroleum Hub Project, recognising its immense potential to drive industrialisation, strengthen energy security, enhance value addition, and stimulate broad-based economic growth.

37. Call for Expedited Implementation

The Conference called on the Government to prioritise and fast-track the implementation of the Petroleum Hub Project by ensuring timely infrastructure development, regulatory approvals, financing, and investor engagement.

38. Youth Employment and Skills Development

The Conference emphasised that the Petroleum Hub must serve as a catalyst for youth employment by creating sustainable jobs across engineering, construction, logistics, manufacturing, ICT, environmental management, and related industries. It further called for expanded technical and vocational training programmes to prepare young people to take advantage of emerging employment opportunities.

39. Local Content and Local Participation

The Conference urged Government and all stakeholders to ensure the full implementation of local content and local participation policies, enabling businesses and professionals from the Western Region and Ghana to benefit meaningfully from the opportunities generated by the Petroleum Hub.

40. Infrastructure Development

The Conference called for complementary investments in roads, rail, ports, electricity, water supply, housing, healthcare, education, and digital infrastructure to support the successful implementation and long-term sustainability of the Petroleum Hub.

41. Community Engagement and Social Inclusion

The Conference urged continuous consultation with host communities, traditional authorities, local government authorities, civil society organisations, women, and youth groups to ensure transparency, inclusiveness, and equitable distribution of the benefits arising from the project.

42. Partnership with Educational Institutions

The Conference encouraged stronger collaboration between Government, industry, and tertiary institutions in the Western Region to develop specialised programmes in petroleum engineering, renewable energy, environmental science, logistics, and technical education that align with the human resource needs of the Petroleum Hub.

43. Regional Economic Transformation

The Conference affirmed that the Petroleum Hub has the potential to transform the Western Region into a major industrial and logistics corridor, stimulate private sector investment, promote downstream petroleum and petrochemical industries, increase exports, and contribute significantly to Ghana’s long-term economic development.

Conclusion

The Western Regional Youth Wing reaffirms its commitment to working closely with Members of Parliament, government appointees, constituency executives, traditional authorities, civil society organisations, and all stakeholders to advance the development agenda of the Western Region.

The Conference remains confident that through unity, accountable leadership, and sustained collaboration, the Western Region will continue to consolidate its electoral gains and emerge as a model of inclusive development, youth empowerment, and democratic governance.

The Western Regional Youth Wing pledges its unwavering support to all Members of Parliament who remain committed to the ideals of service, accountability, and transformational leadership.

The Western Regional Youth Wing extends its profound appreciation to all delegates, sponsors, invited guests, security agencies, volunteers, the media, and every individual whose contribution ensured the success of the Conference.

Issued this: Saturday 8th August, 2026

WESTERN REGIONAL YOUTH WING
National Democratic Congress (NDC)
Western Region, Ghana

…………… Signed…………………
Alhaji Iddrisu Mustapha