TECHIMAN, Bono East Region: Mr Nuamah Eshun-Famiyeh, a journalist and youth enterprise mentor, has urged young people tolook beyond acquiring technical skills and learn how to turn their abilities into viable businesses and sustainable livelihoods.This call was made at the Springboard Road Show 2026, held on Saturday, 31st October, at the Glory Baptist Church in Techiman, Bono East Region, under the theme “Enabling Possibilities”. The event drew hundreds of participants, including students, apprentices and young entrepreneurs.
Held in partnership with Absa Bank Ghana, which provided financial education and practical financial tools to empower young people, the 2026 Springboard Road Show began in Axim in the Western Region, continued to Takoradi and ended in Techiman.
In his keynote address, Mr Eshun-Famiyeh cited data from the Ghana Statistical Service showing that youth unemployment (ages 15 to 35) stands at 21.9 per cent, against a national rate of 12.8 per cent. About two million young people are also not in education, employment, or training. The challenge, he said, is not only about finding jobs but about learning skills that create livelihoods.
He asked participants to look closely at the opportunities already in Techiman, which he described as a major economic hub. He said sectors such as agriculture and agro processing need more skilled and enterprising young people.
“Before you buy a ticket to Accra, look at the opportunities passing through Techiman every day,” he told them.
He also challenged young people to turn their craftsmanship into viable enterprises. “Don’t just learn how to use the tools. Learn how to make the tools earn money,” he said.
Turning to students, he advised them to pair their education with practical skills. “Go to school. Learn a skill. Build a reputation. Make yourself useful,” he said.
Mr Eshun-Famiyeh stressed financial discipline. He urged apprentices to start saving and build start-up capital before completing their training, to keep personal and business money separate, and to keep proper records of income, expenses and start-up costs.
“A certificate proves you can work. Savings help you start,” he added.
He further encouraged participants to combine their trade skills with digital know-how to build thriving businesses. “Be good at the work. Make it easy for customers to find you and pay you,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, Mr Matthew Preprah Boateng, Head of Operations at the Springboard Road Show Foundation, drew on his personal journey with Springboard to remind participants that achieving their aspirations requires resilience, consistency and determination. He urged them to stay committed to their goals despite the challenges they may face, to seek mentorship in their careers and businesses, and, above all, to work hard.
“Don’t let the struggles of today affect the prospects of tomorrow,” he said. “Success demands more than desire. It requires commitment, sacrifice, discipline and hard work.” Regina Basobankwaawa, a youth ambassador of the Springboard Road Show Foundation in the Bono East Region and a graduate of the Youth Led Organization (YLO)
Skill Building Initiative, delivered under the Ghana Grows programme, said the Road Show had helped her grow her business.
“Springboard Road Show has created the opportunity for me to grow and strengthen my business. Since joining the Foundation, I have gained valuable business education and practical training which has equipped me with the knowledge and skills to thrive in my entrepreneurial journey.”
About Springboard Road Show Foundation
The Springboard Road Show Foundation (Springboard) is one of Ghana’s leading youth mobilisation and workforce development organisations, with over fifteen years of sustained national delivery and a proven track record of transforming young lives at scale. Operating across all sixteen regions of Ghana, Springboard has built a national ecosystem that integrates mindset change, skills development, and direct pathways into dignified work, enterprise, and leadership. By December 2025, there were over a million alumni in the Springboard Alumni Network, including 520,543 young people connected to agriculture, agribusiness, and Agricultural Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ATVET) through the Ghana Grows Programme, delivered in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.