Lack of opportunities forcing youth out of Ghana – Mahama

According to former President John Dramani Mahama, the increase in undocumented migration is a sign of young dissatisfaction with the nation’s leadership.

He claims that young people’s lack of job and opportunity has increased their likelihood of using illegal ways to go to Europe in search of better pastures.

“Many of our young people are expressing their disappointment by risking their lives on a dangerous journey over the Sahara desert and across the Mediterranean in their quest to reach the shores of Europe,” he said.

Despite the wealth of resources in the nation, the leader of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) claimed that over time, growth has stalled.

“Our country was also referred to as Gold Coast implying a land of great riches. Today, blessed with abundance, unfortunately our country finds itself in turbulent waters grabbling with self-inflicted challenges that demand our collective attention and resolve to change,” John Mahama added.

As part of a two-day journey to the Bono Region, he was giving a speech at the Catholic Church’s 50th anniversary celebration at Sunyani Diocese.

About 15,682 migrants landed in Spain’s Canary Islands between January and December 2022, according to the IOM UN Migration.

Even if the number of boats arriving at this area has decreased by 35%, more has to be done to address the issue.

According to Mr. Mahama, immediate action is necessary to win back the youth’s faith in the nation’s progress.

“We can reverse this by growing our economy and creating more jobs for our young people. I dare say this is an urgent call. I am heartened that my recent suggestion of operating a twenty four economy in Ghana has been heard by the finance Minister as he mentioned in his recent budget statement in the form he called the night economy,” he said.

In addition, the Most Reverend Matthew Gyamfi lamented the nation’s economic woes despite its plenty of resources.

Mr. Mahama feels that in response to the corruption challenges, it is past time that a coordinated effort was made to reverse the trend.

“His distressing remarks about the suffocating grip of uncontrolled corruption across our nation’s landscape demands urgent reflection and action by all our citizens especially the political leadership,” he said.