In a televised event in Accra, NPP flagbearer and Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, outlined three major priorities aimed at empowering Ghana’s youth if elected President.
Dr. Bawumia emphasized his commitment to expanding educational opportunities, enhancing skills training, and creating sustainable jobs.
I’ve listened to the voices of our young people, and their priorities can be summed up in three core areas: education, skills, and jobs.
Dr. Bawumia shared. He underscored that by providing education and equipping youth with relevant skills, Ghana can create an economic environment ripe for well-paying jobs, whether through entrepreneurship, self-employment, or formal employment.
Expanding Access to Education
Dr. Bawumia promised that his administration would build on the NPP government’s investment in education over the past eight years, ensuring accessible education at all levels.
The NPP government has implemented policies like the Free SHS, benefiting over 5 million students and laying a foundation for sustainable job creation.
he noted. The expansion of second-cycle education under Free SHS has provided essential skills to students who might otherwise have faced financial barriers.
He highlighted investments in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) as crucial steps in preparing Ghana’s labor force for the 4th Industrial Revolution.
We’re committed to training Ghana’s workforce with the right skills for industrialization and bridging the gap between labor market demands and available skills,
He said, assuring further expansion in educational opportunities for all.
Creating a Supportive Economic Environment for Job Growth
In addition to education and skills, Dr. Bawumia stressed the importance of fostering a conducive economic environment to support job growth.
A thriving economy is essential for sustainable job creation,
He explained that under an economic liberalism philosophy, his administration would create favourable conditions for the private sector, which he views as the engine of growth, to expand and drive job creation. Stability in the macroeconomic environment, he added, would be a key priority.
Dr. Bawumia further pledged to reduce government fiscal burdens by partnering with the private sector. With the social safety nets, such as Free SHS and Free TVET, already in place under President Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration, Dr. Bawumia intends to shift focus toward private-sector-driven job creation and wealth creation.
Leveraging Private Sector Partnerships
To increase efficiency and ease government spending, Dr. Bawumia proposed incentivizing private sector participation in infrastructure and service provision.
The demand for infrastructure is enormous, and this has long placed a strain on the national budget.
He noted, advocating for the private sector to contribute to building roads, schools, hostels, and housing through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements.
Dr. Bawumia suggested the government could lease vehicles and equipment rather than purchasing them outright, allowing the private sector to handle maintenance. This approach, he argued, would result in significant budget savings across various ministries, departments, and agencies.
By harnessing private sector involvement, Dr. Bawumia projected that this policy could free up fiscal space amounting to at least 3% of GDP annually (GHC 30 billion), marking a transformational shift in Ghana’s approach to public service provision and fiscal management. This paradigm shift, he said, would not only energize the private sector but also create substantial job opportunities.
