Activista Ghana, a youth-led civil society movement in Ghana’s Upper East Region, has criticised the government and the region’s Members of Parliament over what it describes as slow development, poor infrastructure and high unemployment.
The movement warned that low incomes and a lack of opportunities were putting young people at greater risk of social vices. It called for urgent investment across the local economy, with particular focus on roads, healthcare and job creation.
Activista Ghana made the demands at a press conference held to mark International Youth Day 2026. The group said the Upper East Region had remained loyal to the governing party and deserved a greater share of national development.
“We have not gathered only to commemorate this year’s International Youth Day, but also to discuss the development of the Upper East Region and our collective future”, Nicholas Azebire said.
“The youth of the Upper East Region are concerned about the snail-paced development of the region, with many of the challenges remaining topical issues for several decades”, he added.
Azebire, the Upper East Regional Coordinator of Activista Ghana, said the state of the region’s roads was a major concern. He said several communities were being cut off or forced to cope with weak connectivity because of the poor road network.
The movement said none of the region’s 15 municipalities and districts had tarred roads linking all their communities. It acknowledged that the Bolga-Bawku Road and the Bolga-Tamale-Paga trunk roads served as important routes, but argued that many areas still lacked properly surfaced roads.
“Apart from the major trunk roads, such as the Bolga-Bawku Road, which connects nearly six districts, and the Bolga-Tamale-Paga trunk roads, many of the 15 municipalities and districts cannot boast of properly tarred roads”.
The Bolga-Bawku Road was highlighted as a particular priority, with Activista Ghana calling for construction work to begin immediately.
The youth movement also raised concerns about the delay in starting work on the Upper East Regional Airport, the absence of a standard stadium in the region and the lack of a hospital for Bolgatanga Municipality. It further cited the stalled Agenda 111 project as an issue requiring attention.
“We hope that the government will prioritise these projects to enhance healthcare delivery in the region”.
Activista Ghana also called on the government to give priority to the tomato and meat factories, arguing that the projects could generate a chain of employment opportunities for young people.
“Many of us, the youth, are struggling to secure decent jobs, and that is why we are here today to remind the government that priority should be given to the tomato and meat factories to create a chain of opportunities for the region’s youth”.
The group said the current administration had received overwhelming support from young people in the Upper East Region. It said that backing should now lead to tangible improvements in the lives of residents and the wider development of the region.
Activista Ghana is made up of people aged between 16 and 35 and is affiliated with ActionAid Ghana. It was established in 2017 as part of a global network of young people seeking to lead advocacy, civic engagement and education efforts aimed at shaping the development of their communities.
The movement said its concerns were not limited to the commemoration of International Youth Day, but reflected what it regarded as long-standing difficulties affecting the region and its future.
