Eight youth-led enterprises participated in the pitch competition, an initiative by CPI to support promising youth-led enterprises to thrive and impact society.. Mauvee’s Crafts won the competition and received the gold prize award of GH?12,000.00, Mani Technology came second and was awarded the silver prize of GH?9,000.00, while Dee Plastic Waste Management came third and received the bronze prize award of GH?7000.00.

Zee Farms received the “People’s Choice” award of GH?5,000.00 and a consolation prize of GH?1000.00, while Mariam Millinery and Fashion Design, SunRay Innovations, Kelmi’s Crochet Outfits and Selyn’s Stitches received consolation prizes of GH?1000.00 each.

Many business enthusiasts, including business coaches, attended the summit on the theme: “Empowering Tomorrow’s Innovators and Entrepreneurs: Skills for a Changing World”.
Speaking at the summit, Mr Isam Nuhu, the Director of Operations at CPI, stressed the need for young people to strategically position and prepare themselves for opportunities in the ever-shrinking job market.

He said the initiative by CPI was, therefore, to prepare and empower young people for the future.
“Since 2019, our belief has been to empower young people to develop businesses that will create employment opportunities for other young people in the country, so as to reduce the unemployment and poverty rates in Northern Ghana”, Mr Nuhu explained.

Mr Banguu Delle, the Board Chairperson of CPI, observed that most of the Ghana’s population was below 26 years, which meant that there would be competition for the few available jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities soon.
He reiterated the need for adequate preparation of the youth through purposeful and skills-oriented education to take up those opportunities.

Ms. Elizabeth Akua-Nyarko Patterson, the founder of Girls Education Initiative of Ghana, advocated for the right structures and infrastructure to ensure inclusivity in the technologically advancing world.

She suggested that Science, Technology, Mathematics and Engineering (STEM) education, for instance, should be introduced at the pre-primary level to expose the children to those areas earlier.

Alhaji Inusah Mahama, a Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority (NYA), stressed the need for investing in skills development, entrepreneurship, mentorship, and access to markets to create thriving entrepreneurs.

He said the NYA was committed to strengthening the entrepreneurship ecosystem by working with development partners to create an environment to ensure the youth were job creators and not just job seekers.

The summit was organised by CPI in partnership with the Sangu Delle Foundation, NoniHub, the Girls Education Initiative of Ghana, Blue Hill Hotel, Dilight Space, and mNotify.
It featured a panel discussion on the theme “The Future of Work,” where established entrepreneurs discussed emerging trends and essential skills for the future workspace.