BY DANIEL BAMPOE
Governance must go beyond political administration and deliberately create a “society of opportunities” where young people can turn their skills, ideas and talents into businesses, jobs and sustainable livelihoods, Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has said.
Oppong Nkrumah made the call when he served as Guest of Honour at the launch of the Young Professionals Forum of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), where he challenged the emerging generation of professionals to build the capacity and values needed to assume leadership and drive development.
Addressing members of the forum, the former Information Minister said young people must deliberately develop their capacity, creativity, innovation and ethical values if they are to provide new solutions to the country’s longstanding challenges.
He urged the young professionals to examine the values available to them, identify those they believe in and consciously make those principles part of their personal and professional lives.
According to him, the youth have a major advantage because they bring energy, fresh ideas and the opportunity to learn from the successes and failures of previous generations.
“If you pay attention to building capacity, building the muscle of innovation and creativity, and developing a value ethic, you will be one of the bright ones who lead us to that promised land,” he told the gathering.
Oppong Nkrumah said the country needs young leaders who can study what has worked and what has failed in the past and develop better solutions rather than simply repeating old approaches.
He said the responsibility for creating such an environment rests not only with young people but also with the political and governing class.
He disclosed that a growing number of young politicians across both the NPP and NDC are interested in creating what he described as a “society of opportunities” for the generation coming after them.
According to him, one of the most important complaints among Ghanaian youth is the absence of sufficient opportunities, a situation that has contributed to the growing desire among young people to leave the country in search of better prospects.
Oppong Nkrumah argued that the answer should be to build an economy in which young Ghanaians can see a future for themselves at home.
He said Ghana must become a society where a young person leaving university with a business idea can more easily access the capital, technical support, corporate governance guidance and mentorship required to establish a viable enterprise.
“It should be relatively easier for you to start a business with the kind of ideas that you are building muscle about, whether it’s capital or technical advice or corporate governance or mentorship,” he said.
He stressed that the concept of opportunity should also extend to young people who do not want to become entrepreneurs.
According to him, Ghana needs an economy capable of generating enough productive employment for young people who prefer to work in existing businesses rather than establish their own.
He therefore linked the creation of opportunities directly to how the country’s economy is managed, arguing that economic policy must ultimately create an environment where people can find meaningful ways of using their talents.
Oppong Nkrumah also called for greater recognition of the economic value of talents outside traditional professional careers.
He cited his recent experience in the United Kingdom, where he watched a theatre production and observed how acting and singing had been transformed into commercial value through a functioning creative industry.
He said Ghana must similarly develop systems that allow young people to turn their God-given talents into sustainable sources of income.
“That is the kind of society we should create—a society of opportunities where a lot of young people can find expression,” he said.
The MP described the creation of such a society as one of the issues he is most passionate about in his political life, stressing that the objective should be to leave behind an environment in which the next generation has greater opportunities than those available today.
He encouraged the members of the Young Professionals Forum to play their part by developing their skills, strengthening their professional capacity and bringing fresh ideas to the national development conversation.
“You do your part; we will also do our part, so that you can bring your energies and your ideas to build on the lessons, the successes and the failures that we are also looking for,” he said.
Oppong Nkrumah expressed confidence that many of the young professionals at UPSA would occupy influential positions in Ghana within the next five, 10 or 15 years.
He urged them to use their time at the university not only to acquire academic qualifications but also to develop the character, networks, creativity and professional competence required to make a difference in society.
The launch of the Young Professionals Forum therefore provided a platform for renewed discussion about youth leadership, entrepreneurship, employment, innovation and the broader need for Ghana to create an economy in which young people can find opportunities to thrive.
Oppong Nkrumah congratulated the organisers and members of the forum and encouraged them to remain committed to building themselves and contributing to the creation of the “society of opportunities” he believes the next generation deserves
