Mr Eric Edem Agbana, Member of Parliament for Ketu North, has commended Mr Solomon Kuyon, MP for Krachi Nchumuru, for raising a statement in Parliament on the urgent need to establish a National Youth Development Fund.
Contributing briefly to the statement on the floor of parliamnet, Mr Agbana said the proposal was timely, considering that more than 50 per cent of Ghana’s population is under the age of 35, making the country largely youth driven.
He noted that it was important for the country to invest significantly in building the capacity of young people and creating opportunities that would enable them to contribute meaningfully to national development.
Mr Agbana said successive governments had implemented several youth-focused policies and programmes over the years, including initiatives such as the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) and other employment schemes.
However, he indicated that many of these programmes had not significantly impacted youth empowerment or solved the problem of unemployment due to structural challenges in their implementation.
He explained that although governments had allocated funds for youth development since 1993, many of the initiatives were often short-term or politically driven, making it difficult to achieve lasting results.
Mr Agbana called for a critical assessment and cost-benefit analysis of existing youth programmes to determine their effectiveness and improve future interventions.
According to him, experiences from countries such as Kenya and Namibia showed that well-structured youth funds could significantly support young entrepreneurs and drive economic growth.
He explained that the proposed National Youth Development Fund would serve as a financial support mechanism for young entrepreneurs who have viable businesses but are unable to access loans from commercial banks due to lack of collateral.
“What this fund will do is to provide a buffer for young entrepreneurs who are doing well but do not have access to capital from the commercial banking sector to expand their businesses,” he said.
Mr Agbana emphasised that young people required more than inspiration to succeed, stressing the need for structured and sustainable financing mechanisms to support youth-led enterprises.
“The time has come for us to critically assess the numerous youth programmes introduced over the years and restructure how the state supports young entrepreneurs,” he stated.
He expressed optimism that if properly designed and managed, the National Youth Development Fund could become a strategic instrument for empowering young people, supporting business growth, and creating employment opportunities.
Mr Agbana said he would continue to advocate policies and initiatives that positively impacted the youth and promoted sustainable development in the country.
Meanwhile, the Volta Regional Minister, Mr James Gunu, has launched the Volta Youth Development Fund aimed at supporting young entrepreneurs in the region to grow their businesses and create employment opportunities.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Linda Asante Agyei
Picture Attached
March 11, 2026
