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Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong Inspires and Awarded at the 2025 National Youth Mentorship Summit and Awards
The 2025 National Youth Mentorship Summit and Awards, held at the University of Ghana Business School, was more than a gathering—it was a transformative experience that brought together the nation’s leading minds in entrepreneurship, finance, leadership, and youth development.
But among the constellation of inspiring voices, it was Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong, celebrated Media Expert and General Manager of EIB Network, who delivered a keynote speech that left the most lasting impression.
Nana Yaa’s story is one of resilience, vision, and reinvention in Media and building brands. From her early days as a teenage TV presenter, she has risen to become one of Ghana’s most influential women in media.
With over 26 years of experience in Media alone, she now oversees some of Ghana’s top media outlets under the EIB Network umbrella. Her journey, marked by passion and purpose, framed the tone for a summit rooted in transformation and global relevance.
In her keynote address, Nana Yaa urged participants not only to develop big visions but to measure themselves by continental and global standards, “We are our only competition,” she declared, “but when setting your standards, set them to both continental and global benchmarks.”
Drawing from Psalm 90:12 and Proverbs 4:23, she emphasized to the youth gathered, the importance of intentional living, guarding one’s heart, and valuing time as the currency of purpose. “What you set your heart to determines what you achieve,” she said, urging the young participants to develop discipline, consistency, and courage in pursuit of their goals.
A standout quote from her speech “What separates a poor man from a wealthy one is courage,”sparked thunderous applause.
Nana Yaa reminded the youth that true sustainability in leadership is not about titles but about long-term thinking, resilience, and a commitment to personal development, irrespective of the reality around you.
She also shared her vision for Women in Sustainability Africa (WiSA), an initiative she founded to champion inclusive development and gender-balanced innovation.
“If it resonates with you,” she told the audience, “join and help shape a future of sustainable leadership, nation and continent.”
In a dedicated segment, Nana Yaa laid out a powerful roadmap for the youth of Ghana to leverage the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to create meaningful opportunities.
She explained how SDGs are not abstract policies but practical frameworks for young people to build sustainable livelihoods. From climate-smart agriculture, entrepreneurship and digital innovation to social impact ventures, she emphasized that the SDGs hold vast potential for youth-led transformation.
She said, “You have access to tools the generation before you never had.Use the SDGs to solve local problems with global thinking. Create value, and prosperity will follow.”
The summit, themed “YouthPreneur: A Catalyst for a New Economy”, was hosted by Albert Prempeh Kusi, CEO of LEC Group and a leading voice in youth empowerment. It welcomed an exceptional lineup of mentors and speakers who shared real-world insights and inspiration.
Among the notable guest speakers were:Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, Deputy Chief of Staff (Administration) at the Office of the President, who represented the Presidency and offered policy-level perspectives on youth development.
Georgina Asare Fiagbenu, Senior Manager of Corporate Communications at MTN Ghana, who spoke on behalf of Stephen Blewett, CEO of MTN Ghana, emphasizing the role of digital transformation in youth employment.
Richie Mensah, music producer and CEO of Lynx Entertainment, who inspired with his journey of building Ghana’s Afrobeats stars from the ground up.
Sina Kamagate, Executive Head of Retail Banking at GCB Bank PLC, who provided financial literacy tools tailored for the youth.
Janet Sunkwa-Mills, CEO of Afribiz Group and Jane’M Salon & Spa, who brought insights from over two decades of FMCG marketing across the continent.
Albert Prempeh Kusi, whose mission of reframing the youth from job seekers to job creators resonated throughout the summit.
As the summit drew to a close, Nana Yaa’s parting words became a mantra for the next generation:“Be disciplined. Be consistent. Be courageous. And never forget, sustainability starts with you.”
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God Almighty is incomparable to the Universe – It is an error to reference God as His creation
I have heard people liken God Almighty to the universe. Some have often referred to Him as the universe. It has become a norm in the circular world to reference God Almighty as the universe.
For instance, pop culture has equated or replaced God with the universe, and this has become a normal thing, used in traditional and social media posts. Individual narratives that require the mention of a higher power or authority will usually invoke the universe as that power.
Often, most celebrities from all spheres of life praise the universe for the good things that happen to them and also direct their fear to the universe as paying them back for their bad choices. When things don’t go their way, they wonder if the universe is teaching them a lesson or simply has other plans (Szterszky, 2018).
Even professing Christians at times speak of the universe rewarding or punishing them, or else teaching them a lesson instead of referencing God Almighty. Some pray to the universe instead of God.
Biblically, equating or referencing God to the Universe is an error. God is much higher and bigger than the universe because He created the universe. This article examines some biblical scriptures that highlight this error.
The universe is everything that exist anywhere and forms part of God’s creation. The synonyms for the universe include population, existence, creation, world, cosmos and macrocosm. These are the handiworks of God and should not be equated to God.
On the other hand, God Almighty is the creator, not a creation, he created the world, the cosmos, the terrestrial beings and we cannot trade His glory with that of His creation. It is an error that needs to be corrected (Genesis 1:1-31).
God is the ultimate and eternal creator, while the universe is seen as a vast and finite creation. God is generally considered to be beyond the universe, encompassing it and existing independently, while the universe is viewed as a product of God’s creation and subject to the laws of nature and time.
While God is described as infinite, omnipresent, omnipotent, and eternal, His attributes show that He exists outside of the universe and is not a part of the physical world. God is the creator, sustainer, and ruler of the universe. God is believed to have created the universe from nothing and continues to maintain its existence and order. John 1:1-5).
The universe on the other hand, is viewed as a finite, physical system governed by natural laws. It is seen as a product of God’s creation and subject to the constraints of space and time. Science explores the natural laws and processes that govern the universe. While science explains to some extent how the universe works, it has not been able to address the existence or nature of God.
The following scriptures explain the attributes of God that distinguishes Him from His creation.
The book of Colossians 1:15-20(AMP) says of Jesus, the Incomparable Christ:
15. “He is the exact living image [the essential manifestation] of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible], the firstborn [the preeminent one, the sovereign, and the originator] of all creation.
16. For by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, [things] visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him [that is, by His activity] and for Him.
17. And He Himself existed and is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. [His is the controlling, cohesive force of the universe.] [Proverbs 8:22-31]
18. He is also the head [the life-source and leader] of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will occupy the first place [He will stand supreme and be preeminent] in everything. [1 Corinthians 15:20]
19. For it pleased the Father for all the fullness [of deity—the sum total of His essence, all His perfection, powers, and attributes] to dwell [permanently] in Him (the Son),
20. and through [the intervention of] the Son to reconcile all things to Himself, making peace [with believers] through the blood of His cross; through Him, [I say,] whether things on earth or things in heaven.
In the book of Romans 1: 19 – 28 (AMP) it is said:
19 For that which is known about God is evident to them and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God [Himself] has shown it to them.
20 For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks). So [men] are without excuse [altogether without any defense or justification], [Ps. 19: 1-4.]
21 Because when they knew and recognised Him as God, they did not honor and glorify Him as God or give Him thanks. But instead they became futile and godless in their thinking [with vain imaginings, foolish reasoning, and stupid speculations] and their senseless minds were darkened.
22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools [professing to be smart, they made simpletons of themselves].
23 And by them the glory and majesty and excellence of the immortal God were exchanged for and represented by images, resembling mortal man and birds and beasts and reptiles.
24 Therefore, God gave them up in the lusts of their [own] hearts to sexual impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves [abandoning them to the degrading power of sin],
25 Because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, Who is blessed forever! Amen (so be it). [Jer. 2:11.]
26 For this reason God gave them over and abandoned them to vile affections and degrading passions. For their women exchanged their natural function for an unnatural and abnormal one,
27 And the men also turned from natural relations with women and were set ablaze (burning out, consumed) with lust for one another–men committing shameful acts with men and suffering in their own bodies and personalities the inevitable consequences and penalty of their wrong-doing and going astray, which was [their] fitting retribution.
28 And so, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or approve of Him or consider Him worth the knowing, God gave them over to a base and condemned mind to do things not proper or decent but loathsome,
We cannot trade the glory of God with that of His creation. If you must give glory to God, do so and don’t equate it to the universe. The universe by itself cannot do anything for you. It is under the control of the Supreme Being, God Almighty who created it and controls it. God will not trade His glory for anything because He is All in All.
Recognise God and His divinity, deity and authority and give Him the honour due Him. It is either God to whom you give honour or something else. When you are tempted to equate good things, remember it should be to God Almighty and not to the universe. May God give us all understanding of who He is and that we know Him for ourselves.
End.
Rev. Dr R. Esi Asante is an Assistant Pastor at the Upcity Church International in Accra. She is also a lecturer with the Faculty of Management at the University of Professional Studies, Accra.
By Rev. Dr R. Esi Asante (PhD)
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Taskforce crush buildings at Sakumono Ramsar site
It was a painful sight for owners of unauthorised buildings erected at the Sakumono Ramsar site on Tuesday when a taskforce invaded the area, demolishing structures to reclaim encroached lands.
The taskforce also stopped ongoing construction at the flood-prone zone.
The exercise, spearheaded by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mrs Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Greater Accra Regional Security Council (REGSEC), and various Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), was part of a broader plan to prevent future disasters.
Tuesday’s exercise followed a two-day demolition exercise held last month that saw more than 100 buildings and fence walls crushed.
The exercise, according to Mrs Ocloo, was a proactive measure to mitigate the impact of flooding and ensure public safety.
Despite the high level of resistance, she noted that, the exercise would continue until all illegal structures were brought down and the land restored to its ecological status.
were also destroyed
The Director General of NADMO, Major Dr Joseph Bikanyi Kuyon, described the exercise as ‘very successful,’ highlighting that no physical obstructions or confrontations occurred.
By Cecilia Yada Lagba
