New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has called for greater opportunities for Ghanaian youth, saying the country must create an environment in which young people can secure decent jobs, establish businesses and build stable futures.
Dr Bawumia made the call in a message marking International Youth Day on Wednesday, August 12, acknowledging the growing difficulties confronting young Ghanaians as they seek employment and attempt to establish sustainable livelihoods.
According to him, young people from different backgrounds may have different experiences, but their aspirations remain remarkably similar.
He said many young Ghanaians want nothing more than to find decent work, build successful businesses and live with dignity, but these aspirations are increasingly being tested by the difficulty of securing employment and the high cost of starting and sustaining businesses.
“Different contexts, common aspirations and a shared belief that Ghana can be a place where young people build the future they want,” Dr Bawumia stated in a Facebook post.
The former Vice President described Ghana’s youthful population as one of the country’s greatest assets, pointing to the talent, determination and ambition demonstrated by young people across various sectors of the economy and society.
He argued that policymakers have a responsibility to ensure that the opportunities available to the youth correspond with their ambitions and enable them to make meaningful contributions to national development.
Dr Bawumia’s comments come amid persistent concerns over youth unemployment, underemployment and the difficulties faced by young entrepreneurs in accessing affordable financing and expanding their businesses.
For many young Ghanaians, the transition from education to meaningful employment remains a major challenge, while aspiring entrepreneurs often face difficulties associated with access to capital, high operating costs, taxation and market opportunities.
Dr Bawumia therefore stressed the importance of maintaining confidence in the ability of Ghanaian youth to shape the country’s future despite the economic and employment challenges confronting them.
He said the country’s young population should not merely be viewed as beneficiaries of government programmes but as active participants and potential drivers of Ghana’s economic transformation.
The NPP flagbearer further urged stakeholders to create conditions that would allow young people to turn their ideas, skills and ambitions into productive ventures capable of generating employment and strengthening the national economy.
His message also highlighted the broader need for Ghana to harness its demographic advantage by investing in opportunities that can unlock the productive potential of the youth.
With young people forming a significant proportion of Ghana’s population, the question of how to provide sustainable employment and entrepreneurial opportunities remains central to the country’s economic and social development agenda.
Dr Bawumia’s International Youth Day message consequently places renewed emphasis on the need for policies that give young Ghanaians not only hope, but practical opportunities to work, innovate, build businesses and participate fully in the country’s future.
