THE Vice President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has called for collective action from all sectors of society to unlock the full potential of the country’s young people.
According to her, youth empowerment should not be left to government alone.
Speaking during an engagement with the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment yesterday, she said effective youth development requires strong collaboration among government, the private sector, communities, and development partners.
The Vice President described Ghana’s youth as innovative, capable, and ready to contribute meaningfully to national development when given the right opportunities.
She commended the Ministry’s focus on inclusivity, particularly efforts to ensure 50 per cent representation, noting that deliberate inclusion was necessary to address long-standing inequalities.
She stressed the need to prioritise young girls and women, who were often overlooked in youth development discussions despite facing distinct social and economic challenges.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang emphasised that youth development was a cross-cutting national issue that touches on education, health, agriculture, industry, and security.
She called for stronger collaboration among ministries and agencies, urging institutions to place national interest above sectoral boundaries to achieve lasting impact.
She also highlighted the importance of reaching marginalised and vulnerable youth, including out-of-school young people, those engaged in informal work, and individuals facing mental health challenges.
On accountability, the Vice President advocated improved tracking and evaluation of youth-focused programmes to measure impact and guide policy decisions.
She encouraged partnerships with researchers, academic institutions, and development organisations to support evidence-based planning, despite existing budget constraints.
Touching on social protection, she called for intensified public education on drug abuse prevention, stressing early intervention and collaboration with institutions such as the Food and Drugs Authority.
She said there was the need to protect young people from exploitation, calling on community leaders, civil society groups, and the public to support government efforts to uphold dignity and human rights.
In a related engagement, Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare Addo, outlined measures aimed at tackling youth unemployment, skills mismatch, and limited youth participation in national decision-making.
He disclosed that 22.5 per cent of Ghana’s youth are unemployed, with higher rates among young women and urban youth.
He noted that many Senior High School graduates struggle to transition into tertiary education or vocational training, while weak links between technical education and STEM-related fields continue to limit job opportunities.
Mr Opare Addo observed that young people with little formal education often find work more easily because they are open to vocational and technical training.
He identified agriculture as a key sector with untapped potential, currently employing 35.8 per cent of the youth population, and announced renewed efforts under the Attractive Campaign to encourage more young people to view agriculture as a viable and profitable career.
On funding, Mr Opare Addo said the Ministry remains under-resourced despite serving nearly 68 percent of the population.
He proposed allocating a greater share of the Communication Service Tax to support youth employment initiatives and labour-intensive projects expected to create hundreds of thousands of jobs.
He announced a review of existing youth programmes, guided by a World Bank report, to improve effectiveness and accountability.
He also highlighted plans to strengthen technical and vocational education, support school-to-work transitions, and establish an entrepreneurship fund to support youth-led businesses.
BY AGNES OPOKU-SARPONG
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