Vice-Chancellor Prof. Amfo Highlights UG’s Role in National Development, Appeals to President to Support Digital Youth Village
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, has highlighted the University’s contributions to national development, innovation and youth empowerment, while appealing to President John Dramani Mahama to facilitate the release of funds for the Digital Youth Village (DYV) project during the opening of the 77th Annual New Year School and Conference at the Great Hall.
Prof. Amfo welcomed participants from across Ghana and abroad, including ministers of state, members of Parliament, heads of public institutions, private sector partners, international guests from The Bahamas, Estonia and Greece, civil society actors, traditional authorities and media representatives.
Describing the New Year School as a platform “where the gown meets the town,” she said the conference provides an avenue for collaboration between government, academia, industry, civil society and citizens to address pressing national challenges. “The Ghana we desire cannot be spoken into existence; it must be worked into reality, built by our collective effort, guided by sound policy and held together by our common bond,” Prof. Amfo said.
Highlighting the University’s contributions under its 2024-2029 Strategic Plan, she pointed to initiatives that create a transformative student experience, including the One Student, One Laptop Initiative, Classroom Modernisation Project and Hotspot Comfort Zones, which enhance teaching, learning and access to digital resources for students.
Prof. Amfo also showcased the recently commissioned Innovation Enclave and Makerspace, developed in collaboration with Imperial College London and the Kosmos Innovation Centre (KIC), describing it as “designed to empower students, researchers, and entrepreneurs to transform ideas into impactful solutions addressing Africa’s pressing challenges.”
A major focus of her address was the Digital Youth Village (DYV), a flagship project tackling youth unemployment through digital entrepreneurship and skills development. She reported that construction of the physical facility is over 60% complete and appealed to the President for support. “Mr. President, we are optimistic that your good office can assist to ensure the Digital Youth Village is completed on schedule,” she said.
Prof. Amfo explained that the DYV will serve as the hub for the government’s One Million Coders Project and that the University is committed to offering existing facilities to run the initiative while construction continues.
Prof. Amfo further highlighted plans for the Student Experience Centre, a multi-purpose complex and legacy project of the University’s 75th Anniversary. The centre will house leadership training hubs, offices for student services, health and wellness centers, creative studios and commercial spaces. “This facility will reflect the kind of holistic education we believe in, one that develops not only intellect, but also the creativity, curiosity and confidence of our students,” she said.
The Vice-Chancellor also drew attention to the conference’s Project Forum, which showcases youth-led innovations, including the Nkabom Collaborative, Digital Youth Village Projects at UG, Adwuma Tech AI project from The Bahamas, innovations from Tallinn University, Estonia, Youth in Agriculture and the One Million Coders Project.
Prof. Amfo underlined the importance of collaboration across sectors to achieve national development, noting that the conference theme, Building the Ghana We Want Together for Sustainable Development, reflects a shared responsibility. “The ‘we’ in this year’s theme is intentional. Every citizen, young and old, has a stake in the Ghana we hope to build,” she said.
She concluded by urging participants to actively engage in discussions, contribute their expertise and help shape practical solutions to advance sustainable development and empower the next generation of Ghanaians.