The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has called for greater investment in Ghana’s young people, describing the country’s growing youth population as a demographic advantage that must be harnessed through education, skills development and employment opportunities.
In a Facebook post to mark World Population Day on Saturday, July 11, Asiedu Nketia said Ghana’s greatest asset was its people rather than its natural resources, urging policymakers to prioritise investments that would unlock the potential of the country’s youth.
“This #WorldPopulationDay, one truth stands out: Ghana’s greatest natural resource is not beneath our soil; it is our people,” he wrote.
Citing Ghana’s projected population of 34.4 million in 2026, including about 12.6 million people aged between 15 and 35, the NDC chairman described the country’s youthful population as one of its greatest strengths.
“With a projected population of 34.4 million in 2026 and 12.6 million young people between the ages of 15 and 35, Ghana possesses one of Africa’s greatest demographic advantages,” he said.
Asiedu Nketia argued that young people should be viewed as drivers of national development rather than a burden.
“Our youth are innovators, entrepreneurs, farmers, creators, engineers, teachers, and future leaders. They are not a challenge to manage; they are Ghana’s competitive advantage,” he said.
He said the country’s future prosperity would depend on whether it invested adequately in education, digital skills, entrepreneurship, decent jobs, and leadership opportunities for young people.
“The real question is not whether we have enough young people. It is whether we are investing enough in their education, digital skills, entrepreneurship, decent jobs, and leadership opportunities,” he stated.
According to him, sustained investment in the country’s youth would yield long-term economic and social benefits.
“A nation that invests in its youth invests in lasting prosperity,” Asiedu Nketia added.
