Minister-Designate for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare Addo, has emphasized the urgent need to eliminate violence from national development, asserting that violence has no place in the Ghana he envisions.
Speaking during his vetting before the Appointments Committee of Parliament on January 22, 2025, Opare-Addo linked the prevalence of violence to rising unemployment among the youth, warning that failure to address this challenge poses a significant threat to the country’s stability.
“Violence has no place in the Ghana that I want. Violence has no space in national development, so nobody should subscribe to it,” he stated.
He pledged to work closely with relevant agencies and engage young people to create sustainable jobs. “If we don’t address the challenge of unemployment, we will always have this issue of violence staring us in the face,” he added.
Opare Addo also highlighted the crucial role of young people in shaping Ghana’s future, advocating for their active participation and a focus on reorienting their mindset.
“The Ghana we want requires active participation of the youth, who constitute the majority of the Ghanaian population. Resetting Ghana means total re-engagement—that is, reorienting their minds, engaging them, and building for all of us a Ghana that we will be proud of,” he said.
To tackle the root causes of youth unrest, he committed to providing skill training and sustainable employment opportunities. “If I have a job in the morning and you call me to come anywhere, there’s no way I will follow you. We will aggressively tackle unemployment by rendering skill training to those willing to work and change the narrative, so post-election violence does not continue.”
Opare Addo’s vision reflects his determination to empower Ghanaian youth, eradicate violence, and build a nation where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. He called on all stakeholders to join him in creating a future where young people are equipped to contribute meaningfully to the country’s development.
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