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Minister-Designate for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare Addo, has declared his resolve to eliminate violence from national development, stressing its incompatibility with the Ghana he envisions.
During his vetting before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on January 22, 2025, Opare Addo attributed the prevalence of violence to the growing unemployment crisis among the youth, cautioning that the issue could undermine the country’s stability if left unaddressed.
“Violence has no place in the Ghana that I want. Violence has no space in national development, so nobody should subscribe to it,” he affirmed.
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To address this, he pledged to engage young people actively and collaborate with relevant agencies to create sustainable job opportunities. “If we don’t address the challenge of unemployment, we will always have this issue of violence staring us in the face,” he warned.
Opare Addo emphasised the vital role of the youth in shaping the nation’s future, advocating for their active involvement in development initiatives and a reorientation of 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 stated.
He also outlined plans to provide skill training and employment opportunities to curb youth unrest and post-election violence. “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,” he explained.
Opare Addo’s vision centres on empowering the youth, fostering peace, and creating an environment where all Ghanaians can thrive.
He called on stakeholders to join him in shaping a future where violence is eliminated and young people are equipped to contribute meaningfully to the country’s progress.
“With unity, determination, and a focus on empowering our youth, we can build a Ghana that prioritises peace, development, and prosperity for all,” he concluded.
