More than half of the country's population are under 25 years old.

But a youth policy to address development needs of a chunk of this demographic is out-dated and over-run by technology and dramatic social changes.

The need for a review informed a dialogue last Thursday organised by the Youth Empowerment Synergy (YES)-Ghana at the British Council Hall in Accra.

It was there that the Deputy National Youth Authority CEO Bright Acheampong revealed, it is a 2018 priority to re-look-, re-examine and re-write the National Youth Policy designed in 2010.

He told youth leaders and students, the policy was designed to be reviewed after every five years. Hence an updated policy and implementation plan ought to have been in place at worst in 2016.

But the year marked an electioneering campaign that appears to have distracted the Authority. With a new government in place, the plan remains firm on the table of policy initiatives.

Photo: Deputy CEO in charge of Finance Richard Obeng, CEO Emmanuel Asigri and Dep. CEO in charge of programmes Bright Acheampong

Mr. Bright Acheampong stressed Ghana has a war to wage on illiteracy, joblessness and "a narrow-minded view that only fools die for their nation."

"But the weapons of our warfare and welfare are obsolete. The vital instrument of policy is very blunt," he said.

Explaining some defects of the current 2010 policy document, the deputy CEO remarked that it was drafted using 2000 census information when 33% of the population was under 25 years.

More than a decade later, this data is not useful for effective planning and policy-making.

He also explained that one of the things the implementation plan wanted to address is a reduction in HIV/AIDS infections.

But today, the Ghana AIDS Commission reports that there was an 18% rise in new HIV infections in 2016.  

In a testament to the impact of technology in changing lives, Bright Acheampong noted that "in 2010, people were still saying go to the internet. Now we say google it".

The African Union has also outdoored a 50-year vision christened “Harnessing the Demographic Dividend Through Investments in Youth.

The plan is to last until 2063. While there is also the SDGs of which 8 out of the 17 goals directly affect the youth.

Mr. Bright Acheampong said these developments need to find expression in the new National Youth Policy.

"We need a youth policy that captures the agitated desire of Ghana's youth to see leadership leverage political will to solve the challenges of our time," he said.

The National Youth Authority would soon embark on a nationwide engagement to collect fresh views and ideas, he revealed and applauded YES-Ghana for the dialogue.

Yes-Ghana has prepared a policy document, The Peoples' National Youth Policy, it hopes can inform the NYA do a constitutionally mandated work of empowerment Ghana's youth.

The deputy CEO observed that there is a heightened expectation on youth to achieve in all areas.

He pointed out that the world's youngest leader in a democratic country is a 31-year-old Sebastian Kurz from Austria while the legal age for president in Ghana is at least 40 years.

"We are in a make or break season as youth leaders and workers", he told the audience and urged support for NYA's work.