Africa’s future lies in its youth – President Mahama

The President of Ghana, H.E John Dramani Mahama has called for institutionalised frameworks that empower young people and women to lead at all levels of governance in Africa.

Speaking at a high-level summit on AU institutional reforms in Nairobi, President John Dramani argued that the future of Africa lies in its youth.

He emphasised that it is important that the voices of the youth are taken into consideration during policymaking.

“Africa’s future lies in its youth, and over 60% of our population is under the age of 25. Yet, their voices are largely absent in policymaking. We must institutionalize frameworks that empower our young people and women to lead at all levels of governance,” President John Dramani Mahama said.

In his address, President John Dramani also proposed that the African Union must move away from its overreliance on external partners for funding.

He said it compromises the Union’s independence and its ability to set its own agenda.

“The over-reliance on external partners for funding compromises the African Union’s independence and ability to set its own agenda…Efficiency must be the guiding principle in how we conduct our affairs, ensuring that our policies translate into real change for our people.

“We must adopt mechanisms that prioritize accountability, transparency, and value for money, ensuring that every resource is maximized for the benefit of the African people,” President John Dramani Mahama said.