Mr. Atta Akoto, the President of the Association, a youth empowerment group in Sunyani, made the appeal in an address to welcome Mr. Barnes to the Association`s Skills Training Centre (STC) as part of the latter's  one-day familiarisation visit in Sunyani.

It was the maiden trip of Mr. Barnes to Sunyani at the instance of Mr. Ransford Antwi, the Chief Executive Officer of Suncity Multimedia Company Limited, operators of Suncity FM Radio Station in Sunyani.

Mr. Barnes earlier paid a courtesy call on Mr. Evans Opoku-Bobie, the Minister designate for the newly-created Ahafo Region at the Regional Coordinating Council, Sunyani and Nana Bosoma Asor Nkrawri II, the Paramount Chief of Sunyani Traditional Area at his private residence.

Mr. Akoto stated that the Association was formed to address the socio-economic challenges of the less-privileged in the Sunyani Municipality and its environs through the empowerment of the jobless and vulnerable youth with handicraft skill training to become self-employed.

"An under-developed youth cannot contribute meaningfully to national development", hence, the formation of the Association to reform and transform them to impact positively on the society.

This is because "the world has come to a stage whereby, the agenda of a nation building cannot rest only on the shoulders of government(s) but through the effective contribution of every individual", Mr. Akoto added.

He emphasised that equipping the youth with employable skills and competency would help greatly to end the menace of armed robbery, gambling, drug dealings, sex-working among adolescent girls and ensure a violence-free environment to promote peace in the country.

Mr. Barnes commended the leadership of the Association for the effort being made to bring positive change in the lives of especially the unemployed and vulnerable youth, as well as persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the Sunyani Municipality.

He assured that his outfit would endeavour to ensure that the Association would be beneficial to the 'city' of Sunyani, the Municipality, the region and the country in general.