Africa-Press – Ghana. Mr George Opare Addo, the Minister of Youth Development and Empowerment, has outlined strategies to initiate conversation and to address the challenges of the youth in Ghana.
He said the strategies hinged on five pillars namely, health and well-being, education and skills training, economic empowerment, civic engagement and community participation, and personal development and leadership.
Mr Opare Addo made this known when he presented the State of the Youth Address “SOYA 2025” backed by statistics from a survey initiated by the Ministry to produce data-based evidence of the challenges.
He said: “As the Minister responsible for youth development and empowerment I am obliged to initiate conversation about how our teeming youth are faring in this country.
“It is my considered view that this will enable us collectively to develop appropriate policy responses to inspire, equip and empower the youth of Ghana to unleash their potential for national development and global competitiveness.”
He said the strategies was central to President John Dramani Mahama’s reset Agenda because the youth of the country represented not only the present strength but also the foundation upon which to build a resilient, productive and inclusive society.
The Minister said the Ministry would engage with the relevant Ministries and implementing agencies to standardises educational curricula, ensuring substantial industry input during the development process.
“We will also partner with the private sector, specifically the Association of Ghana Industries, Ghana Employers’ Association, Private Enterprises Federation, and other stakeholders, to introduce structured workplace learning and graduate employment programmes,” he stated.
Mr Opare Addo said the Ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, efforts would be made to make secondary and tertiary education more focused on employability.
“Policy initiatives will embed work-readiness, entrepreneurship, and digital skills across all educational tracks, enabling graduates to transition confidently into the labour market, adapt swiftly to new roles, and pursue entrepreneurship,” he explained.
He said to ease job creation in the formal sector, the Ministry will coordinate with SSNIT, the Office of the Registrar of Companies, and the Ghana Revenue Authority to streamline compliance requirements for MSMEs and start-ups.
He added that, “policy measures will soon be introduced to incentivize companies that hire, train, and keep graduates.”
The Minister pointed out that to directly address urban youth unemployment, the Ministry would use implementing agencies such as National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme, Youth Employment Agency, National Service Authority, and the National Youth Authority to set up city-level skills hubs aligned with employer demand.
He indicated that the successful implementation of the National Apprenticeship Programme and the Adwumawura Programme is expected to equip youth with relevant skills and employment opportunities.
“The Ministry is also collaborating with the Youth Employment Agency and the National Service Authority to review and enhance their programmes to better serve the needs of young people,” he stated.
Mr Opare Addo said the Ministry would prioritize domestic care opportunities that could quickly provide employment for young women and that in partnership with the Ministry of Labour, the aim was to standardize domestic work as a workable choice for youth job creation.
He said opportunities for young people were being established through various programmes and policies and encouraged the youth to engage with these initiatives, apply, enrol, participate, and invest while continue learning, volunteering, networking, and innovating.
He advised youth to avoid habits and decisions that negatively impact their potential, and to make choices that support long-term growth, such as prioritizing discipline, integrity, and constructive engagement.
The Minister stated: “Today’s engagement is not to paint a gloomy picture but to restore hope to the Ghanaian youth and assure them that their government lead by His Excellency President John Mahama will work tirelessly to fix the gaps and create the enabling environment to make sure that they succeed.
“To our development partners, the ministry of youth development will want to work closely with you and make sure that the programme you fund and get involved in are those that are relevant to the needs and aspirations of our people. Together let’s work to build the Ghana we want.”
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