Cape Coast, June 27, GNA - Dr Lord Paul Boateng, a former Cabinet Minister of the British Parliament, has challenged African youth to take up the initiative of being innovators in their various disciplines.

They should explore ways to develop their entrepreneurial skills and have insights towards the needed socio economic transformation of the continent.

Dr Boateng was delivering the keynote address at the opening of the Strategic Future Leaders Public Lecture and Conference at the University of Cape Coast over the weekend.

The Conference on the theme 93Harnessing the Vocational and Entrepreneurial Skills of the Youth in oil & gas, tourism, ICT, agricultural Industries: The Key Issues", attracted more than 1,500 youth from Ghana, Liberia, Togo and Nigeria.

It was organized by the Foundation for Future Leaders Group (FFLG) in partnership with the Parliament of Ghana with the aim of inspiring the youth to aspire to be leaders.

He urged the youth to endeavour to be creative because it was through their inventions that they would be catapulted into realizing their dreams.

Dr Boateng also advocated for institutions to draft policies which will provide abilities and skills acquisition for the youth to enable them take up job opportunities in the in oil & gas, tourism, ICT and agricultural industries.

He said the youth in the pursuance of their future aspirations should endeavour to have the right balance for acquiring whatever was due them legally and appropriately.

The former MP appealed to them to be focused, disciplined and develop a positive attitude in their quest for achieving excellence by maximizing every available opportunity to help them become key players in the socio-economic development of their respective countries.

Mr Lovemore Green Munlo, Chief Justice of Malawi, dared the youth to be contributors to the socio=96economic development of their countries through active participation in policy making, legislation and budgetary processes of their states.

He re-echoed calls to them to take advantage of existing institutions to learn a trade and a career to add value to themselves.

Mr Anthony Egyir-Aikins, Mayor of Cape Coast, reiterated the need for the country to reckon the potentials of the youth and partner them in the decision making process.

Mr Aikins said Ghana's youth labour has been ranked as the lowest in Africa hence the need for intensified capacity building to help in wealth creation and job opportunities for global market.

Mr Mensen Torkornoo Managing Director of Amalgamated Bank who presided over the function urged the youth to remain focused and defy all obstacles to enable them achieve their set goals.

He appealed to the youth to carve their own agenda and share it with the world and also use all opportunities available to harness their potential to spur them on to greater heights.