Mr Pius Enam Hadzide, Chief Executive Officer, National Youth Authority (NYA), says the youth must be given a voice, to enable them to participate in Ghana's democratic experiment and in development agenda. He said the youth often brought about new perspectives and innovative solutions to societal challenges, such that their experiences and viewpoints could address issues in modern ways. Mr Hadzide added that the youth constituted most of the Ghanaian population and that they had the energy and the time to be leveraged. The CEO was speaking at a side event of the International Youth Day Celebration, dubbed, 'Youth and Food Systems Transformation Policy Convening 2024,' in Accra. The event, which was organised by AGRA and the Mastercard Foundation, in collaboration with the NYA was under the theme: 'Empowering Youth for Decent Jobs and Climate-Resilient Food Systems in Ghana.' The convening's objective was to facilitate dialogue with the youth and key stakeholders, supporting youth empowerment to better u nderstand their needs and priorities. It also aimed at creating awareness around the Youth Entrepreneurship for Future of Food and Agriculture (YEFFA) program in Ghana, focusing on creating a supportive policy environment, empowering youth, amplifying their voices, and creating job opportunities in agriculture Mr Hadzide said Ghana's youth were faced with the challenge of inadequate jobs, especially in the formal sector. 'We know that the wage bill is unable to support even the over 800,000 persons on the payroll already, and we are advised that the real and sustainable solution to the issue of youth employment and employability remains within the private sector,' he added. He said the replications of youth and unemployment varied, including high dependency ratio crime and slow economic growth. The Chief Executive Officer said this situation was a matter of concern to policymakers, civil society, and development partners, adding that the Government in the past years had fashioned out some robust and stra tegic interventions to address this huge youth and employment issue. He said the private sector had been incentivised to expand and engage more youth, aligning with the Government's priority on youth enterprise development, as demonstrated by initiatives from the Ghana Enterprise Agency, and the National Entrepreneurship, and Innovation Programme, among others. Mr Hadzide said addressing youth employment and employability challenges may take longer than one or two terms to fully address, but there was confidence that current interventions being implemented provided a solid foundation for long-term resolutions. He said Africa's fertile land, favourable weather, and large population provided a comparative advantage in agriculture, making it a key solution to addressing youth employment and employability challenges. 'We need strategies to address challenges like access to finance, land ownership, technical skills, infrastructure, market access, and climate change,' he added. He encouraged the youth to speak openly and freely in such fora, adding that, 'we must leave this gathering as both ambassadors and active participants in the enterprise, agriculture, and its related value chains. Dr Betty Annan, AGRA Ghana Country Manager, said a crucial component of this transformation journey was fostering dialogue between the youth, policymakers, private sector, and other stakeholders in a bid to help create dignified and fulfilling jobs for unemployed youth. She said a dialogue between the youth and policymakers was imperative to bridge the knowledge gaps, address challenges and collaboratively shape policies that fostered young participation in national development. She affirmed their commitment to leaving no youth behind by continuously amplifying their voices, improving access to resources, and ensuring equitable opportunities for all young in Ghana, regardless of their location. 'May this collaboration continue to grow stronger so that together we can achieve an inclusive and sustainable future for all Ghanaians and especially our youth' 'AGRA believes that the youth are capable of presenting solutions to the various challenges being faced in this country. Therefore, never hesitate to dream big and act,' she added. Source : Ghana News Agency