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Youth urged to unleash the power within – Impact Wave Initiative President
The President and Founder of Impact Wave Initiative, Ms. Eunice Golloh, has called on African youth to unleash the power within to be stronger, happier and more fearless if they want to overcome their obstacles and crush their goals.
She further challenged the youth to unleash the power within to enable them to reach their peak state and create a life of meaning, fulfillment and become unstoppable.
She made the call during the very successful Impact Wave Conference 2024 which took place on Friday May 24, 2024 at the British Council, Ridge – Accra, under the theme “Unleashing the Power in You”.
This year’s edition of the annual conference was attended by hundreds of people ranging from students and aspirational young adults, diplomats, industry captains to leaders of women-focused groups.
In her virtual speech, she highlighted that “unleashing the power within requires breaking through your fears, your patterns and the limiting beliefs that keep you stuck. I am expecting you all to walk out of this event with new empowering beliefs and the tools to build new habits. Connecting with your fellow youth and some of the dignitaries here, from the successful corporate ladies to the diplomats should inspire you in your life. We also have the mentorship programme and other initiatives to help you take some key decisions and lasting changes in your life.”
Mrs. Ayesha Bedwei Ibe, Partner and Global People Leader-Tax and Legal Services at PwC was the keynote speaker at the event. She shared her unique and inspiring life stories as well as her journey in the corporate world with the participants. She entreated the participants to focus on building themselves for the task ahead.
“As young people growing into adulthood, it is a perfect time to consider how you can make the most out of your life, achieve your dreams, enjoy your experience, and minimise regrets if there should even be any. This is the time in your life to take some practical steps to help you to shape who and what you become in the future and you have several leaders who are willing to assist you to make the right decisions and with the support of God,”she emphasised.
The speakers at the event included Mr. Immanuel Hamunyela, the Deputy Head of Mission, Namibia High Commission to Ghana, Ms. Anelli Amanyanga, 3rd Secretary, Sierra Leone High Commission in Ghana and Private Secretary to the Sierra Leone High Commissioner to Ghana, Dora Mensah, Founder, Fire Brand Global Network.
Other speakers were Apostle Mzimasi Dyule, Published Author, Certified Professional Life Coach, Strategist and Leadership Trainer, James Kwesi Addison, Ghana’s first internationally certified Emotional Intelligence Master Coach and Chief Executive Officer of Addison International, and Bishop Owusu Ansah, an Auditor and Co-Founder of Epicuria Ghana, a nonprofit organization focused on grassroots development.
Impact Wave Conference is an annual gathering of accomplished corporate executives, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and aspirational youth to discuss solutions to the everyday challenges the youth and women are confronted with in the real world.
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Youth urged to take proactive stance on ozone depletion
•Mr Joseph Amankwah, first counting from, some officials from EPA and UNDP in group picture with the student
Mr Joseph Amankwah, the Director of Ozone Layer and Climate Change at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has urged the youth to take a proactive stance on issues related to ozone depletion, emphasising that their future would be most affected by its consequences.
Speaking during a student engagement event at the Ghana Secondary School (GHANASS) in Koforidua, he highlighted the critical role young people played in tackling climate-related challenges.
Mr Amankwah explained that human activities, such as the use of certain chemicals, were significantly contributing to the depletion of the ozone layer and driving climate change.
He said it was important to educate the youth on these issues, encouraging them to share this knowledge with their families to foster a broader understanding and active participation in climate action.
He urged the education sector to integrate lessons on the ozone layer, the causes of its depletion, and its links to climate change into the curriculum.
The event, organised by the EPA in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was designed to foster environmental awareness and promote a sense of responsibility among young people.
Mr Amankwah noted that ozone layer depletion was affecting everyone, including children, as it alters weather patterns and threatens the natural environment.
He highlighted the need for young people to develop ‘green skills’ to adapt to the challenges of climate change and to understand ways to combat it.
He added that World Ozone Day, observed every September, would focus on youth engagement in environmental issues, to help them understand the long-term consequences of ozone depletion and climate change.
Mr Amankwah also discussed the harmful impact of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), a major chemical contributor to ozone depletion.
He explained that household appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners were common sources of CFC emissions in Ghana.
Many uncertified technicians work on these appliances, often releasing harmful chemicals into the atmosphere due to improper handling, he noted.
To address this, he urged appliance repairers to obtain proper certification and training, emphasising that unqualified repairs not only harm the environment but also endangered public health.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman,
Koforidua
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Small-scale miners schooled on health hazards of mining with mercury
Mr Lovelace Sarpong (right) addressing the participants
Some Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners in the Ashanti and Central regions have been sensitised on the potential health dangers humans are exposed to with the use of mercury in gold processing.
The sensitisation which was organised by PlanetGOLD Ghana project was to raise awareness about the negative impacts on the use of mercury in mining activities.
According to the PlanetGOLD Ghana Project Coordinator, Mr Lovelace Sarpong, the use of mercury in artisanal small-scale mining pose health challenges that affects the nervous, digestive and immune systems, lungs and kidneys; and may be fatal.
Some Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) that benefited from the exercise were Amansie Central, Asante Akim North, Amansie South, Amansie West, Bekwai, and Adansi North in the Ashanti Region, and Upper Denkyira East (Dunkwa-on-Offin) and Upper Denkyira West (Diaso) in the Central Region.
Additionally, he said inorganic salts of mercury were corrosive to the skin, eyes and gastrointestinal tract, and may induce kidney toxicity if ingested.
He stated that the PlanetGOLD Project has conducted several initiatives to raise awareness on reducing mercury exposure among artisanal and small-scale gold mining actors in the country.
It was to promote mercury-free mining practices in line with Ghana’s obligations under the Minamata Convention on Mercury, support the formalisation of the ASGM sector while advocating the adoption of the CRAFT Code and responsible supply chains, and raise awareness on the availability of mercury-free alternatives.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Area Head for Konongo, Mr Dawood Abbas, underscored the importance of government’s environmental regulations and EPA’s role in ensuring compliance within the ASGM sector.
He encouraged miners to prioritise environmental stewardship to gain community trust and secure a Social License to Operate (SLO) and reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to enforce its commitments under the Minamata Convention.
BY Cecilia Lagba Yada
