Africa's quest for transformation will remain unfinished if the continent trails others in the field of trade and democracy, Mr Andy Osei Okrah, President of Young Professionals and Youth Coalition Initiative (YPYC), has said.

He said Africa must transform in the 21st century, and this is the continent's best opportunity.

Mr Osei Okrah was speaking at the sixth Young Professional Transformational Leadership and Role Model Award Conference on the theme ‘Transformational Change Agenda Africa Needs,’ in Accra.

The conference is YPYC’s flagship programme, where young professionals from diverse fields meet annually to learn, share information on how to maximise their leadership potential towards national development.

He said the continent must piggyback or ride on the back of the continental body, the African Union, for rapid transformation, adding that it should be an all-inclusive transformational process.

"Africa needs a new international economic order which is the regional economic blocs," he added.

Mr Osei Okrah said the continent should be strung together while it does away with illusions and face new realities, stunting its growth.

He explained that Africa' transformation must come at the hands of a determined and resourceful youth who would grab the wheel and pulleys of transformation to secure a decent future for its people.

He said the continent must transform and there could not be any better time as now, indicating that economic transformation perhaps must be central to this urgent quest.

As part of the conference, Star Ghana Limited was awarded the overall best organisation.

Ms Nilla Selormey, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Universal Merchant Bank, won the Young Professional Role Model Female Awards while Mr Emmanuel Adu Sarkodee, Group Chief Executive Officer, CDH Financial holdings Limited, was adjudged the winner in the Young Professionals Role Model Awards Male Category.

The Young Professional Honorary awardees included Dr Addo Kufuor as the Young Professional Role Model in leadership and politics, and Mr Osei Kwame Despite as the Young Professional Role Model in Entrepreneurship.

The rest are Mr Samuel Afari Dartey as Young Professional Role Model in Youth Empowerment and the late Komla Afeke Dumor as the Young Professional Role Model in Media Empowerment.