Ghana: 12 million youth are key to national development, officials say

Ghana's government, through the National Population Council (NPC), and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) are calling for a significant increase in investment directed towards the country's estimated 12 million young people. This push is framed as critical for accelerating national development and effectively harnessing Ghana's demographic dividend.

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Ghana’s 12 million young people are not a challenge to be managed. They are the country’s single greatest asset.

The joint appeal was made during the launch event in Accra commemorating World Population Day 2026. Stakeholders were urged to prioritize investments in education, healthcare, skills development, employment opportunities, and entrepreneurship for the youth. Ms. Angelina Osei Kodua-Nyanor, Acting Executive Director of the NPC, stressed that Ghana's youth should be recognized as the nation's greatest asset, not a challenge to be managed.

"Sustained investment in quality education, healthcare, skills training, employment, entrepreneurship, and sexual and reproductive health will equip young people with the tools needed to contribute meaningfully to national development," Kodua-Nyanor stated. She added that the NPC is committed to collaborating with partners to ensure population data informs evidence-based policies aimed at enhancing opportunities for young Ghanaians.

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Sustained investment in quality education, healthcare, skills training, employment, entrepreneurship, and sexual and reproductive health would equip young people with the tools needed to contribute meaningfully to national development.

Mr. David Wilfred Ochan, UNFPA Country Representative, commended the government for placing population dynamics at the forefront of its development agenda. He reaffirmed UNFPA's dedication to supporting policies that prioritize people and strengthen population data systems. Ochan highlighted that investing in young people is fundamental to building resilient and prosperous societies, emphasizing that decisions made today in education, healthcare, and employment will determine the country's development path for decades to come.

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The decisions we make today in education, healthcare, skills development and employment will shape the country’s development trajectory for decades to come.