Council of State member urges Ghana to localise global solutions for youth employment

A member of Ghana’s Council of State representing the Volta Region, Mr Kwamigah Tanko, has issued a strategic call for a radical rethinking of job creation in Ghana, urging a bottom-up alliance between local government actors and private sector innovators to tackle the country’s escalating youth unemployment crisis.

Speaking to Metro TV’s Eastern Regional Correspondent, Samuel Kwesi Appah-Peniel, upon his return from the Global Parliament of Mayors Annual Summit 2025 in North Miami, USA, Mr Tanko stressed that Ghana must shift from “lip service to lived solutions” by integrating local community knowledge with global best practices.

“We can no longer afford to plan development from boardrooms in Accra when the realities are playing out in Aflao, Hohoe, and Nkwanta. The people closest to the problems must be resourced and empowered to lead the solutions,” he said.

Global Conversations, Local Relevance

Mr Tanko participated in the high-level summit at the invitation of Mayor Alix Desulme (Ed.D) of North Miami, where over 70 mayors and urban leaders from across the globe exchanged evidence-based policies addressing employment, equity, and local governance.

He noted that the summit was far from a ceremonial gathering but rather a platform where “real-life experiences, not textbook theories” shaped the dialogue. Discussions focused on three
core pillars:

• Empowering Cities
• Caring Cities
• Delivering Democracy

According to Mr Tanko, these themes directly connect with Ghana’s persistent challenges around urban poverty, youth unemployment, and governance inefficiencies at the metropolitan, municipal, and district levels.

From Global Inspiration to Regional Action

Drawing insights from the summit, Mr Tanko is championing a Volta Region-led employment model that aligns international frameworks with local assets.

“The Volta Region has untapped potential—land, labour, culture, and youthful energy. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. What we need is a deliberate public-private synergy to unlock this potential using tested models adapted from the summit,” he emphasised.

He underscored the role of municipal-level innovation where district assemblies are transformed into economic engines, working in partnership with investors, entrepreneurs, and civic groups.

Beyond Advocacy: Building an Implementation Ecosystem

Mr Tanko’s call challenges the Ghanaian state to move beyond policy declarations and build a functional, inclusive ecosystem for development. He said the most important lesson from the summit is that:

“Collaboration must be intentional, practical, and locally led.”

He argued that international partnerships are meaningful only when local systems are prepared to absorb and implement solutions. “The networks I’ve built through this summit could help unlock investment and skills transfer—but only if our systems are ready to receive them,” he added.

The Bigger Picture: Ghana’s Localisation Dilemma

Mr Tanko’s intervention comes as Ghana grapples with youth unemployment and underemployment estimated at over 20%. His message implicitly critiques the sluggish pace of decentralisation and the weak local economic development architecture that continues to stifle job creation despite numerous national programmes.

His focus on the Volta Region as a pilot zone for innovative employment strategies reflects a broader vision, making regional development both meaningful and measurable.

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