Africa-Press – Ghana. Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has urged the older generation to take deliberate steps to mentor young people, saying Ghana and Africa risk widening their development gaps if the youth are not guided into effective leadership roles.
Speaking at a mentorship dialogue organised by the British Council in collaboration with The Kufuor Foundation at his Peduase residence on Monday, the former President said the continent’s leadership challenges and growing youth unemployment required urgent attention.
He said many young people were “far better educated and technologically savvy” but lacked opportunities, adding that population growth had outpaced economic expansion.
“The youngsters have all the education, brilliant… but they don’t have hope. The job prospects are not there,” he said.
Former President Kufuor noted that Ghana’s population had grown from about 10 million in the late 1960s to nearly 40 million today while the economy had not kept pace, creating frustration and impatience among the youth.
He said mentorship was essential to help young people navigate these pressures, develop humility, appreciate global trends and build the values required for leadership.
He recalled how guidance from the late Prof. K.A. Busia shaped his own career, providing early exposure to international affairs and political leadership.
“Whatever he saw in me, he guided me, advised me,” he said.
Former President Kufuor said Africa’s slow pace of development was tied to leadership gaps and urged professionals and institutions to support efforts to groom future leaders.
Nii Doodo Dodoo, British Council Country Director, said mentorship and coaching were essential to addressing youth unemployment and preparing young people for the world of work.
He said many young people completed school without adequate exposure to practical guidance from experienced professionals.
“Without the support of older people, older professionals, something gets missing,” he said, adding that the initiative was “a national agenda” requiring collaboration across sectors.
Mr Dodoo announced plans to establish a Mentoring and Coaching Academy by March next year, targeting between 2,000 and 3,000 mentors drawn from corporate institutions, public agencies and academia.
The academy, he said, would help bridge the gap between academia and industry by encouraging professionals to volunteer time to guide students and young graduates.
“Through this Mentors and Coaches Academy, we are inviting corporate bodies to encourage their staff to volunteer… to provide the practical insights to what young people are learning today,” he said.
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