Vice President Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has called on the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment to systematically track and evaluate the impact of its programmes to ensure they deliver tangible outcomes for young Ghanaians.

The Ministry has rolled out several initiatives, including the Adwumawura and apprenticeship programmes, aimed at empowering young people across the country.

During a working visit to the Ministry, Prof Opoku-Agyemang commended officials for their commitment to gender balance, highlighting the strong inclusion of young women in the programmes.

“The youth of Ghana are very, very innovative. I’m very happy that even in your set-up, you have gone beyond the 30 per cent affirmative action to 50 per cent. That is impressive, and I want to encourage you to keep that up,” she said.

The Vice President stressed the need for collaboration across government, noting that youth development cuts across multiple sectors.

“Youth is in education, in health, in agriculture, industry, and security—where are you not? Your work touches almost every sector, and we must collaborate across ministries to ensure national impact,” she said.

She also drew attention to vulnerable and out-of-school youth, urging the Ministry to ensure that no group is left behind.

“I’m interested in the young person pushing the wheelbarrow in the market, the person by the roadside with four or five tubes of yarn. How do we factor in their dreams? These are the youth who often fall through the cracks, and we must not ignore them,” she said.

On measuring effectiveness, Prof Opoku-Agyemang underscored the importance of research and tracking studies.

“When we are able to measure the impact, we know how to sustain and expand our programmes. Tracking studies will help us see if we are on course and understand what our interventions are achieving,” she said, adding that researchers could play a key role in such assessments.

She also raised concerns about drug misuse among young people and emphasised the need for early public education.

“Public education is very important. We need to protect our children early so they don’t suffer unnecessarily. Sometimes, fixing things after the fact becomes impossible,” she noted.

Touching on broader economic issues, the Vice President encouraged innovation as a pathway to national growth.

“I’m not interested in apportioning what we have; I want us to ensure the national pie gets bigger. Even small percentages become meaningful when the pie grows. Taking care of the people who grow the economy is just as important,” she said.

Prof Opoku-Agyemang reaffirmed her office’s commitment to supporting youth empowerment, stressing that national development is a shared responsibility.

“You can count on us. The work we do is not about one ministry; it’s about the territory of the nation and the well-being of our people. Wherever we are placed, it is to plan for the good of every Ghanaian,” she said.

She urged the Ministry to continue innovating, tracking results, and working collaboratively across sectors to ensure youth programmes remain inclusive, impactful, and sustainable.