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Stakeholders urged to provide requisite platforms to support young green businesses
Relevant stakeholders focused on climate related issues have been advised to provide the necessary platform to support numerous wonderful ideas and innovations of young people in the climate space.
According to Dr Yaw Agyeman Boafo, a research fellow at the Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Studies, University of Ghana indicated that green business was the way to go in the quest to tackle climate change, hence attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
To him, investing in young people’s innovations was of essence because the youth were the future of the nation.
“They are the ones expected to be controlling the affairs of countries of the world or Sub-Saharan Africa in the coming years. And the youth with their energy can start the movement of driving green businesses all around us,”
he reiterated.
Dr Yaw Boafo made these appeal at the 3-day YouSustain Conference held from 6th to December 8, 2023 in Accra.
The Conference aimed at providing network and resource opportunity for young people involved in ecopreneural businesses created a platform for young people, developmental agencies, and researchers to have an intellectual discourse on how best young people could be supported to contribute to urban sustainability in sub-Saharan Africa through ecopreneurship.
Speaking to the media, Dr Boafo explained that it was time for stakeholders both in the government and private sector to give technical support to build young people’s capacity as well as financial support that would aid them to utilize the skills and knowledge acquired, hence turning their ideas into businesses that can survive and help address the multiple sustainable development challenges facing Sub-Saharan Africa which Ghana is not an exception.
“Yes, the National Youth Policy and other youth related policies exist. However, the challenge the youth are facing is financial backing to practically implement their business ideas to help fight climate change”, he emphasized.
He was however hopeful that the conference would provide the needed platform to attract financial support for young ecopreneurs in the Sub-Sahara Region including Ghana.
Dr Boafo used the occasion to urge young people to continue to be dedicated, committed and should never give up on their eco-business.
“Young people should develop resilience, have the energy or the desire to keep working on what they believe in and should be willing to work with other people from different parts of the continent,”he admonished.
Elaborating more on the 3-day conference, the Conference Coordinator, Mr. Paul Dankwa explained it was to provide a networking and resource opportunity for young people involved in ecopreneural businesses to share knowledge and potentially collaborate for green business development; select viable ecopreneur ideas from the conference and provide them with incubation support and potential grants for their project implementation.
In addition, to create a platform for young people to showcase their green businesses, products, and services, and gain exposure and visibility for their work, hence exploring avenues for upscaling; and exploring how successful practices and solutions for sustainability in sub sahara,” he stated.
BY BENEDICTA GYIMAAH FOLLEY
The Global Network of Export-Import Banks and Development Finance Institutions (G-NEXID) successfully held its sixth (6th) Exchange Programme, hosted by the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) Bank in Accra from March 22 to 23 March.
The event brought together member institutions, partner organisations and Ghanaian public entities to advance dialogue on South-South trade, investment and development finance, while also creating opportunities for knowledge-sharing and institutional cooperation.
Organised as a capacity-building and networking platform, the 2026 edition of the G-NEXID Exchange focused on GEXIM’s experience in developing innovative solutions to promote intra-African and extra-African trade.
It also highlighted trade and investment opportunities in Ghana, particularly in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and broader national development initiatives.
The Exchange Programme forms part of G-NEXID’s mandate to foster cooperation among export-import banks and development finance institutions in support of South-South trade and investment.
This 6th edition follows earlier successful programmes hosted by India Exim Bank (2016), BNDES (2017), Indonesia Eximbank (2018), Afreximbank (2019) and Saudi EXIM Bank (2025).
On the first day, participants were presented with G-NEXID institutional information and received an update on the Network’s 2026 work programme.
There were a series of substantive presentations, including an overview of the Ghanaian economy by the Ministry of Finance, with particular attention to debt-related challenges; a presentation by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), on investment opportunities in the country; and institutional presentations by GEXIM and Development Bank Ghana (DBG) on their respective mandates, initiatives, products and services.
Discussions during the sessions underscored strong interest in sector-focused webinars and business dialogues, particularly in agribusiness value chains such as poultry and rice.
Participants also emphasized the importance of continued information exchange and the sharing of best practices, especially in the area of guarantees.
The second day opened with a presentation on the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme, a national economic transformation strategy launched by President John Dramani Mahama in July 2025.
The initiative aims to enhance economic productivity through continuous industrial activity, accelerated export development and strategic import substitution.
As the programme is expected to mobilise both private and development capital, it presents concrete opportunities for G-NEXID members in areas such as co-financing, guarantees, trade finance and technical cooperation.
The programme also featured institutional presentations by guest organisations, namely the African Guarantee and Economic Cooperation Fund (FAGACE) and the West African Development Bank (BOAD), which shared their mandates, initiatives, products and services.
Following these exchanges, the G-NEXID Secretariat held bilateral discussions with both institutions as part of the Network’s ongoing membership drive.
Participants further benefited from a presentation by the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB), as well as a showcase of GEXIM’s key pipeline projects.
On the margins of the Exchange Programme, G-NEXID members also held their 20th Annual General Assembly Meeting to review progress and discuss strategic priorities.
Following the event, participants joined the GEXIM@10 International Conference, held from March 24-25, 2026 under the theme, “A Decade of Enabling Export Trade and Industrial Transformation: Resetting GEXIM for the Next Frontier.”
The conference provided an important platform for exploring how Ghana can strengthen its transition from a primary commodity exporter to a more competitive player in value-added trade and industrial development.
Source – G-NEXID
President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, signed five bills including three amendment bills passed by Parliament into law.
They are: Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill, 2025; University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences Bill, 2025; Ghana Deposit Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Growth and Sustainability Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2026; and Education Regulatory Bodies (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
In a brief remark after assenting to the bills, President Mahama explained that the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, 2026, scraps the Office of Minister of National Security and frees the President’s to appoint any Minister to supervise the security agencies.
He said it also reverses the name of the office of National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), to the original name, Bureau of National Intelligence, (BNI).
This the President said, addresses the confusion between that security agency and a well-known Ghanaian financial institution, the National Investment Bank.
President Mahama also noted that the University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences Act, 2026, establishes another University in the Eastern Region, at Bonsu, with three campuses – the main campus at Bonsu in the Eastern Region, with the second campus to be cited at Ohawu in the Oti Region.
The third, the Presdient assed will be located at Acherensua in the Ahafo Region.
Touching on the Amendment to the Growth and Sustainability Levy Act, the President said, “As you’re aware, the act was amended to increase it from 1% to 3%, and so this act reduces it again. That is the levy on mining companies. It reduces it again to 1%, because of the introduction of the sliding scale of royalties.”
He also spoke to the passage of the Government Education Regulatory Bodies Amendment Act, emphasising that amends Act 1023 to grant greater flexibility to private tertiary institutions and the option to Charter.
The Ghana Deposit Protection Amendment Act, the President concluded, is an amendment to an original act that was supposed to guarantee deposits held in commercial banks or financial institutions.
It basically expands protection to include mobile money wallets and other digital platforms, ensuring a wider scope of digital financial assets are secured.
The signing ceremony, was witnessed by the Clerk of Parliament, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, Secretary to the President, Dr Callistus Mahama, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Dr Dominic Akrutinga Ayine, Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, Joyce Bawa Mogtari, a Senior Presidential Advisor and a Special Aide to the President, Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, and the Vice President, Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang.
