By Caleb Kuleke
Ho, Oct.17 GNA – Mr Kojo Amewusika Adih, the Volta Regional Director of the National Population Council (NPC), has underscored the need for increased investment in the youth, to equip them with the necessary employable skills to contribute meaningfully to national development.
He stated that a young population presented a vital opportunity for any nation to accelerate its socioeconomic growth.
He explained that when young people were healthy, well-educated, skilled, and gainfully employed, “a country can enjoy what we call the demographic dividend.”
Mr Adih made these remarks during a sensitisation programme organised by the Council for students of Mawuli School and Mawuko Girls’ Senior High School.
The event aimed to highlight the importance of this year’s national theme for the World Population Day celebration.
Mr Adih noted that the theme, “Investing in Ghana’s Future through Healthy, Skilled and Empowered Young People,” was highly appropriate.
He explained that a country with a large percentage of its population within the productive age bracket was positioned to experience faster economic growth.
However, Mr Adih stated that the National Population Policy (Revised Edition, 2017) clearly stated that “the dividend is not automatic; it depends on deliberate investment in education, health, skills, and employment.”
Citing data from the 2021 Population and Housing Census and the National Youth Policy, he noted that Ghana had about 12 million young people aged 15 to 35, emphasising that investment in young people was investment in the country’s future.
He further revealed that the 2023 Annual Household Income and Expenditure Survey, indicated that approximately 1.9 million young Ghanaians aged 15 to 35—representing roughly 18 per cent of that demographic were not in employment, education, or training (NEET).
Mr Adih pointed out that nearly two-thirds of this figure were young women.
He added that challenges such as adolescent pregnancy, school dropout rates, limited access to skills training, and a lack of accurate sexual and reproductive health information continued to hold many young people back.
The Director urged the participants to make informed decisions about their bodies and futures.
Mr Adih advised them to seek accurate information from parents, teachers, school health personnel, and trained health workers, rather than relying on social media or rumours.
He maintained that delaying early sexual activity protected their health, education, and dreams, warning that early pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remained primary reasons why promising young people drop out of school.
Mr Adih reminded the youth that the choices available to them tomorrow hinged heavily on the education and skills they acquired today, urging them to plan their lives carefully and make the right decisions.
The Director encouraged the students to take their academic work seriously and develop technical, digital, and entrepreneurial skills.
He noted that certificates alone did not guarantee a secured future, as the contemporary labour market heavily rewarded skills, discipline, and initiative.
Mr Adih also appealed to teachers to provide guidance and create safe spaces for adolescents to thrive.
He called for stronger partnerships between the Ghana Health Service, Ghana Education Service and the National Population Council to ensure every student receives accurate, age-appropriate information.
Mr Francis Mensah Vidzro, the Volta Regional Human Resource and Development Officer for the Ghana Education Service, who served as a facilitator at the programme, also stressed the urgency of investing in youth health, education, skills, and empowerment to drive socioeconomic growth.
He described the youth as the bedrock of the country’s population, adding that building their capacity and equipping them with requisite knowledge was essential to prepare them for future leadership roles and national development.
Mr Vidzro noted that analysis showed a significant portion of unemployed youth lacked the required skills, competencies, and educational capacity to secure jobs.
He stated that the most effective remedy was targeted investment in their health, education, and vocational skills to empower them to contribute meaningfully to their communities.
Madam Millicent Dakeh, the Volta Regional Girls’ Education Officer, reminded the adolescents that as the largest demographic block, their choices would shape the nation’s future.
She urged them to prioritise their health and remain focused on their education.
Madam Dakeh cautioned them against early sexual activities that could disrupt their academic progress and holistic development, encouraging them instead to believe in themselves and aim higher.
Madam Dakeh clarified that while the government’s school re-entry policy was available to support girls, it should not be viewed as an excuse to get pregnant.
However, she counselled that if the unexpected happened and they got pregnant, they must still return to school, because “their future is the future of the country.”
GNA
Edited by: Maxwell Awumah/ Christabel Addo