MYS, ECOWAS RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE DISCUSS YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, SPORTS, AND REGIONAL COOPERATION
MYS, ECOWAS RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE DISCUSS YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, SPORTS, AND REGIONAL COOPERATION
MONROVIA, LIBERIA — The Minister of Youth and Sports, Atty. Cornelia Wonkerleh Kruah, has held an inception meeting with the ECOWAS Resident Representative to Liberia, H. E. Mohammed Kenewui Konneh, at the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYS), to discuss areas of collaboration in youth development, sports, vocational training, and regional cooperation.
Mr. Konneh was accompanied by Dr. Adama Dodzi, Principal Program Officer, and Mr. Mubin Adewumi, Program Officer. Minister Kruah was joined by Mr. Alphonso Y. Belleh, Deputy Minister for Youth Development, and Mr. Collins Tamba, Assistant Minister for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
During the meeting, Mr. Konneh highlighted the ECOWAS Youth & Sports Center and emphasized the need for greater attention to sports alongside broader youth development initiatives.
Mr. Konneh also shared an initiative being considered in his home country, Sierra Leone, through which young people could support local councils in revenue collection. He suggested that Liberia could explore a similar approach by engaging the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), particularly in areas related to real estate and property tax collection, if the Ministry considers the proposal appropriate.
Minister Kruah welcomed the ECOWAS delegation and expressed her commitment to strengthening the partnership between the Ministry and the regional body. She acknowledged concerns surrounding the ECOWAS Youth & Sports Center, noting that she had personally visited the facility to assess the level of work being undertaken.
According to the Minister, work at the center remains on hold as ECOWAS seeks clarification regarding the proposed partitioning of office spaces. She expressed hope that the outstanding issues would be addressed to allow progress on the facility.
On the proposal for young people to support local councils in revenue collection, Minister Kruah pointed to Liberia’s National Cadet Program, which prepares young people for professional engagement and places them across various public institutions and the public service.
She said the Ministry had taken note of the proposal and invited ECOWAS to explore a possible partnership through the National Cadet Program, which currently has approximately 1,150 cadets.
Minister Kruah further proposed a working session between the Ministry and ECOWAS to identify priority areas for collaboration and establish the scope of potential joint initiatives once the framework is finalized.
Looking ahead, the Minister disclosed that the Ministry intends to place greater emphasis on sports programming in the coming year, with a focus on talent development, scouting, and building a sustainable sports economy that creates opportunities for young people.
She emphasized the importance of expanding opportunities for young people to develop their abilities and participate meaningfully in the sports industry, while strengthening the connection between sports and youth empowerment.
The Minister also acknowledged ongoing ECOWAS-supported programs involving the Klay and Tumutu vocational institutions, describing them as important areas of cooperation that can contribute to skills development and expanded opportunities for Liberian youth.
The meeting concluded with a shared interest in identifying practical areas of cooperation and strengthening engagement between the Ministry of Youth and Sports and ECOWAS in support of youth empowerment, vocational skills development, and sports advancement in Liberia.
