He said: "The most underutilized resource in Africa isn't natural resources, but the potential of the youth", adding that many young people on the continent could not afford formal education and providing them with accessible internet facilities offer opportunities for self-learning and personal development.

Prof Saeed was speaking in an interview with the media on the sidelines of the Second International Conference on Science, Technology, and Health Innovation for Sustainable Development (STHISD 2025) of the School of Sciences of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in Sunyani.

The conference was on the theme "Advancing sustainable futures through environment, health, ICT and food security: The role of emerging scientists,".

It seeks to foster knowledge exchange among experts, practitioners, policymakers and emerging scientists, focusing on addressing interconnected global challenges and empowering young scientists by highlighting their creativity, resilience, and potential to drive sustainable development.

Prof Saeed emphasised that formal education remained essential, however many young people in Africa were unable to afford it, saying accessing internet facilities could serve as a powerful alternative for their self-education.

He said with reliable internet connectivity and affordable internet plans as well as adequate infrastructure, the youth could access vast free online resources to learn, innovate, and contribute meaningfully to the development of their respective communities.

"There's a wealth of free knowledge online that can empower young people to educate themselves in various fields, even without ever entering a formal institution", he stated.
                        
In a highlight, Prof Samuel Fosu Gyasi, the Dean of the School of Sciences, UENR, said the conference was more than a routine academic and served as a platform for collective reflection, innovation, and action.

He said strengthened collaboration among academia, industry, government, and civil society to ensure research findings are translated into practical, real-world solutions, saying it charted a sustainable pathway by integrating environmental stewardship, human health, technological innovation, and food security into a unified vision for a resilient future.