Joseph Osei Oppong Brenya, Chief Executive Officer of Bizline Consult, has urged African leaders to prioritize youth development to curb illegal migration. Speaking at a youth connect program organized by the Youth Development Network, a UK-based organization, Brenya emphasized that African countries are losing their skilled and energetic youth to Europe, America, and Canada due to limited job opportunities.
To address this issue, Brenya recommends that African governments
- Create an Enabling Environment: Develop and implement policies to prevent illegal migration and promote youth entrepreneurship.
- Establish Industries: Provide employment opportunities for unemployed youths and foster a conducive environment for entrepreneurship to thrive.
- Favorable Exchange Rates: Implement exchange rates that would encourage African youths to stay on the continent, such as pegging the dollar to the local currency
Mr. also kicked against Ghana’s initiative to send youth to United Arab Emirates and other countries to work.
” Ghana government has Implemented free Basic education, free Senior High school education, free first year academic tuition, only to have our energetic youth, whom we have heavily invested in, work elsewhere, is an utterly illogical initiative.
What does this say about us? It implies a lack of foresight, ineffectiveness, and that the individual behind this initiative is misinformed. This is a blatant sign of leadership incompetence”
Brenya’s concerns are echoed by initiatives like the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), which focuses on training effective youth mentors to empower young people to develop their skills and become successful leaders. In Ghana, efforts are being made to engage youth in policy-making processes, such as the Ghana Youth Manifesto Coalition’s meeting with the National Youth Authority (NYA) CEO to discuss youth development and empowerment.
The NYA CEO has reaffirmed his commitment to working with youth-led organizations to address pressing challenges facing young people in Ghana, including promoting patriotism and collective action to address youth-related issues. By working together, African leaders and youth can create opportunities for young people to thrive on the continent.