{"id":98231,"date":"2025-10-13T00:59:04","date_gmt":"2025-10-13T00:59:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=98231"},"modified":"2025-10-13T00:59:04","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T00:59:04","slug":"mahama-handed-youth-the-baton-they-must-now-run","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=98231","title":{"rendered":"Mahama handed youth the baton, they must now run"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>3 Minute, 58 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>
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President John Dramani Mahama has filled his legacy government with youthful appointees \u2014 a move some describe as a political gamble.<\/p>\n

For me, this is neither a gamble nor a political strategy. It is a national necessity \u2014 one that the appointees must treasure and use to create opportunities for their teeming colleagues. If done well, this bold step will not only address some of the country\u2019s most pressing challenges but also prove that today, not tomorrow, belongs to the youth.<\/p>\n

With Ghana\u2019s population overwhelmingly youthful, empowering the next generation is not optional \u2014 it is essential.<\/p>\n

That is why the appointments of Dr. Frank Amoakohene as Ashanti Regional Minister; Felix Kwakye Ofosu and Shamima Muslim as Government Spokespersons; Stanislav Dogbe as Deputy Chief of Staff; Beatrice Annangfio as Presidential Staffer; Sammy Gyamfi as CEO of GOLDBOD; Godwin Kudzo Tameklo as CEO of the NPA; Afetsi Awoonor as CEO of BOST; and the \u201cgreen army commander\u201d Malik Basintale as CEO of the Youth Employment Authority, are both magical and spot on.<\/p>\n

Dimming Dreams<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Ghana\u2019s median age is 21.3 years, with more than 57 per cent of the population under 25. Each year, over 110,000 young people graduate from universities and other tertiary institutions, according to the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC). Yet only 10 per cent are absorbed into the public sector, leaving the rest to struggle in a job market that is not expanding fast enough to meet their aspirations.<\/p>\n

Data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) show that youth unemployment currently stands at 22.5 per cent among those aged 15\u201335, with long-term unemployment affecting nearly 355,000 young people.<\/p>\n

These are not just statistics \u2014 they represent lives, families, and dreams on the brink of fading. This must be a call to action.<\/p>\n

Mahama\u2019s Strategic Vision<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Having been entrusted with leadership roles while still young, President Mahama has consistently championed youth inclusion and equity.<\/p>\n

His appointment of Ghana\u2019s first female Vice President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, who declared she was \u201copening the door for girls in Africa,\u201d stands as a powerful symbol of inclusive leadership.<\/p>\n

The Ashanti Regional Minister, among many other young appointees, exemplifies this new wave of governance. But with opportunity comes scrutiny.<\/p>\n

Critics, including former NPP MP K.T. Hammond, have questioned the wisdom of entrusting national leadership to the youth. Hammond once described youthful ambition as \u201cempty-headed,\u201d warning that young people \u201ccannot be the only ones in charge of governance.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is where the youth must rise \u2014 not with rebellion or rhetoric, but with results and responsibility.<\/p>\n

Keeping the Door Open<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Every young appointee carries not just personal ambition but the hopes of millions of Ghanaian youth.
If they succeed, they justify the confidence placed in them. If they fail, they reinforce the false narrative that \u201cyouth equals incompetence,\u201d giving the old guard reason to roll back progress.<\/p>\n

That is why President Mahama\u2019s young appointees \u2014 and indeed every young leader \u2014 must work hard, uphold integrity, and focus on real issues: unemployment, underemployment, digital exclusion, and lack of access to capital.<\/p>\n

Across Ghana, young innovators are already reshaping governance, business, and civic life through technology, entrepreneurship, and social impact projects. Similar stories are emerging in Rwanda, Nigeria, and Ethiopia, where youthful leadership is driving change.<\/p>\n

But it must not end there. The youth must be dynamic and reform-minded, championing practical policies in education, entrepreneurship, and digital skills.<\/p>\n

With more than 380,000 new job seekers entering the labour market annually, policies must shift from theory to action. Young leaders, particularly those appointed by President Mahama, must spearhead bold reforms<\/strong> that tackle unemployment and bridge the digital and financial inclusion gaps.<\/p>\n

These include:<\/p>\n