The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling youth unemployment and expanding opportunities for young people, with key agencies unveiling major employment, entrepreneurship and skills development initiatives at the National Youth Forum 2026 in Accra.
The forum, organized by the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment under the theme “A Sound Youth, A Sound Nation: Your Voice. Your Future. Our Ghana,” brought together young people from across the country to engage directly with policymakers and leaders of institutions responsible for youth development. The event forms part of efforts to strengthen youth participation in policymaking and create a platform for dialogue on issues affecting Ghana’s youthful population.
Opening the forum, Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare Addo, urged young Ghanaians to speak candidly about their concerns and contribute practical solutions to national challenges.
“This forum is not government speaking to you. It is Ghana speaking to government through its young people,” he said, emphasizing that the voices of young people must remain central to national development.
The Minister noted that government’s youth development agenda is anchored on four key pillars: health and morality, education and skills development, economic empowerment, and youth aspirations, including civic engagement and volunteerism. He stressed that with young people constituting a significant proportion of Ghana’s population, their ideas and participation are essential to shaping the country’s future.
As part of the forum, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), Eric Adjei, announced a major expansion of entrepreneurship support programmes aimed at helping young people build sustainable businesses.
According to him, NEIP received more than 100,000 applications for its entrepreneurship programme last year and exceeded its training target by equipping 10,887 entrepreneurs with business development skills. He revealed that although the programme was initially designed to support 2,000 beneficiaries, more than 3,600 entrepreneurs ultimately received grants and support.
Mr. Adjei further announced that a second entrepreneurship cohort will begin training next month, while the recently launched Seed Programme for student entrepreneurs has already attracted over 10,000 applications.
He also disclosed plans to roll out the African Development Bank-supported ESCO programme nationwide, with particular focus on northern Ghana, and announced an initiative to train approximately 1,000 content creators and equip them with modern tools to support digital entrepreneurship.
“We are committed to ensuring that entrepreneurship becomes a viable pathway to economic independence for young people across the country,” he said.
Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Hon. Osman Abdulai Ayariga, reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to championing youth development and advocacy in Ghana.
He encouraged young people to take advantage of the various government programmes available to them and actively participate in national discussions aimed at shaping policies that affect their future.
Hon. Ayariga stressed that the Authority would continue to work closely with stakeholders to ensure that the voices of young people are reflected in decision-making processes and development initiatives across the country.
Also addressing the forum, Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Malik Basintale, highlighted significant gains made under the agency’s youth employment programmes.
Mr. Basintale disclosed that the number of beneficiaries under YEA interventions has increased from just over 50,000 to more than 90,000.
He cited recent recruitments involving 6,000 Community Medical First Responders, 6,000 Fire Service Assistants, 5,000 Prisons Service Assistants and 12,000 Community Police Assistants, as well as placements in both public and private sector institutions.
Mr. Basintale announced that YEA will soon launch a new flagship programme known as the Graduates and Corporate Support Initiative, designed to bridge the gap between graduates and corporate employers while creating new opportunities for skills development and job placements.
He said the agency remains committed to expanding employment pathways and supporting young people to secure meaningful and sustainable livelihoods.
The presentations by the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment, the National Youth Authority (NYA), the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) and the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) underscored government’s broader strategy of combining youth participation, entrepreneurship, skills development and employment opportunities to address youth unemployment and empower young people to contribute meaningfully to national development.
Participants at the forum welcomed the opportunity to engage directly with policymakers and agency heads, while offering recommendations on employment, entrepreneurship, education and skills development to help shape future youth-focused policies and programmes.
Story by Osman Issah Abadoo
