George Opare Addo
Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare Addo, represented Ghana on a high-profile panel at the Global Citizen NOW: Detroit summit, joining international thought leaders including billionaire investor Mark Cuban, celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson, and Detroit’s Poet Laureate Jessica Care Moore.
Framed by the summit’s goal of addressing urgent urban challenges through bold ideas and action, panellists explored the future of innovation, youth empowerment, small business investment, and equity in the age of artificial intelligence (AI).
Opare Addo, speaking on the role of African youth in shaping the digital future, said, “For young people to be able to appreciate AI, then they must not be just users of it, but makers of it.”
Opare Addo’s remarks align with Ghana’s broader vision to become a hub for digital innovation and youth-led enterprise. His focus on empowering young Ghanaians as creators of technology reflects ongoing efforts to incorporate science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and AI training into national curricula.
The growth of Ghanaian youth-driven agritech, fintech, and edtech ventures and government initiatives seek to connect innovation with inclusive employment opportunities.
This call to action emphasised the importance of ensuring young people across Ghana and the continent are not left behind as technology transforms economies and societies.
Minister Opare Addo’s advocacy is strongly aligned with the summit’s launch of “AI for All,” a global initiative to equip 10 million people, especially underserved youth and women, with AI literacy by 2030.
As AI adoption accelerates globally, Ghana’s leadership on the world stage underscores the country’s readiness to ensure digital transformation.
The Global Citizen NOW: Detroit summit brought together leaders from across the public, private, and creative sectors to discuss how cities can be engines for equity and innovation.
Other influential voices from the sessions included: Mark Cuban, entrepreneur and investor, who emphasised how AI tools like ChatGPT are already leveling the playing field for small businesses, calling AI “the great equalizer.” Marcus Samuelsson, Ethiopian-born chef and restaurateur, discussed the cultural power of food to unite communities and preserve identity.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke