The Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, Mr. Julius Debrah, has encouraged Ghanaian students to aspire to be innovators and job creators rather than mere job seekers. He made this appeal during his keynote address as the Special Guest of Honour at the launch of the GNCCI Junior Chamber Initiative, a collaborative effort between the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI) and the University of Ghana.
In his remarks, Mr. Debrah emphasized that the initiative is not just about forming a student group; it is a strategic intervention aimed at equipping students with the necessary skills, networks, and platforms to contribute actively to Ghana’s economic transformation.
“When we equip our youth with the right skills, networks, and platforms, they will not only find jobs, they will create them,” he asserted.
Referencing alarming statistics from the 2023 Labour Market Report, he highlighted that 1.4 million young Ghanaians are unemployed, with 22.3% being tertiary graduates. He described this sobering figure as both a challenge and a call to action.
“Education alone is not enough. We must bridge the gap between academic knowledge and practical business experience,” Mr. Debrah stated. “This is where the GNCCI Junior Chamber becomes a powerful game-changer.”
He commended the University of Ghana and the GNCCI for their partnership on this forward-thinking project, which aligns with broader government initiatives like the Adwumawura Project and the 24-Hour Economy Policy, aimed at fostering an inclusive, resilient, and entrepreneurial economy.
On behalf of H.E. John Dramani Mahama and the Presidency, Mr. Debrah reaffirmed the government’s unwavering support for such initiatives, asserting that addressing unemployment requires strategic collaboration between academia and the private sector.
“We must show our young people what is possible by opening the doors of enterprise and governance to them,” he concluded.
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