Minority Leader, Osahen Alexander Afenyo-Markin has urged Ghanaian students and young people to see the country’s youthful population not as a burden but as a significant economic opportunity that can drive national development through purpose, innovation and responsible leadership.

Speaking at the Empower Vault Summit at the Great Hall of the University of Ghana on Friday, August 14, Osahen Afenyo-Markin acknowledged the scale of youth unemployment in the country and encouraged young people to focus on creating value rather than relying solely on the availability of formal jobs.

He said more than seven out of every 10 Ghanaians are below the age of 35, while young people constitute a significant proportion of the country’s unemployed population.

“More than 7 in every 10 Ghanaians alive today are under the age of 35. And what does the labour market offer? Young people account for 7 out of every 10 unemployed residents in this country,” he said.

Osahen Afenyo-Markin also noted that more than 300,000 students graduate from universities across Ghana every year, with only a small percentage finding employment within their first year.

“An estimated over 300,000 students graduate from universities across Ghana every year. Only about 10%, if not less, are able to secure jobs within the first year after national census,” he said.

He said the widening gap between the number of graduates entering the labour market and the limited employment opportunities required young people to rethink their approach to education, work and entrepreneurship.

Despite the challenge, the Minority Leader maintained that Ghana’s large youth population could become one of the country’s greatest economic assets if properly harnessed.

“Therefore, my dear students, a population this young is not by itself a problem. It is an opportunity, whereas the single greatest opportunity any government on this continent will ask for,” he said.

He challenged students to move beyond focusing on the scale of unemployment and instead consider the solutions they could develop to address challenges in their communities and the country.

“That is why this moment demands that we begin asking ourselves what we can create, what problems we can solve, and what value we can bring to our communities and our country. So let us turn from the size of the challenge to the substance of the answer,” he said.

According to Osahen Afenyo-Markin, the first step towards unlocking the potential of young people is developing a clear sense of purpose.

“Because the answer to everything I have just described begins with a single word, purpose,” he said.

He urged young people to look beyond conventional measures of success such as wealth, status, titles and recognition and reflect on the reasons behind their ambitions.

“We live in a world that constantly tells us what to pursue. Money, status, titles, recognition, and success. But before we ask ourselves what we want to achieve, we must first ask a more fundamental question. Why?”

He encouraged students to consider how their time, talents and energy could be channelled towards making meaningful contributions to society.

“Why do I want what I want? What is worth giving my time, my talent, and my energy to? And who will ultimately benefit from the life I choose to build?”

Osahen Afenyo-Markin described purpose as a compass that provides direction to ambition and gives meaning to the pursuit of personal and professional goals.

“Purpose is what gives direction to ambition. Purpose is a compass that tells us not only where we want to go, but why the journey is worth taking.”

He explained that purpose was not necessarily discovered instantly but could emerge from personal experiences, curiosity and the problems individuals encounter within their communities.

“It is often uncovered through the things that stir your curiosity, the problems that concern you, the experiences that shape you, and the needs around you that you cannot ignore.”

He said developing a strong sense of purpose could change the way young people perceive their education, talents and potential.

“And once you begin to understand your purpose, you begin to see the world differently. You stop asking, what can I get? And start asking, what can I give?”

The Minority Leader urged students to view education not simply as a qualification for securing employment but as a tool for solving problems and creating value.

“You stop seeing your education only as qualification and begin to see it as a tool. You stop seeing your talent just as special advantages and begin to see them as resources that can be used to solve problems and create value.”

However, he stressed that purpose alone would not be enough to overcome the challenges confronting Ghana’s youth, arguing that young people must also develop the capacity to lead and positively influence others.

“And when purpose is clear, the challenges ahead do not disappear, but they become easier to face,” he said.

He added: “Because a generation with purpose must also become a generation capable of leading.”

“If purpose gives us the direction, leadership gives us the responsibility to take others with us,” Osahen Afenyo-Markin said.

The Empower Vault Summit, organised by Horses and Stables in partnership with the Office of the University of Ghana SRC Vice President, seeks to equip young people with practical skills, values and mindsets for leadership, entrepreneurship and personal development while encouraging them to play an active role in Ghana’s development.