By Edzorna Francis Mensah
The leader of Government business and the Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin has proclaimed that, the growing scarcity of entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for the youth may lead to political instability if the existing phenomenon persists.
He said, the situation where “the political elite focuses on electoral battles and building political capital, a significant portion of the population, including the youth, is being left behind”, may trigger an ugly scene since “the demographic potential of our youth, often praised as a critical driver of development, remains largely untapped”.
The Leader in a statement titled: ‘Rising Impunity in Ghana – A Threat to Democracy: The Role of the Political Class’, submitted that, “entrepreneurship and employment opportunities are scarce, and even those few opportunities face challenges. Our artisans, often criticized for their work attitudes, are losing jobs in the construction sector to artisans from neighbouring countries, even for basic tasks we once took for granted”.
He expressed fear about that fact, “the potential for entrepreneurship is further diminished as people increasingly prefer to invest in the money market, deterred by the prevailing work attitudes from setting up businesses”.
“The consequences may be dire for our stability”, because “throughout history, frustrations and disillusionment among the masses, including the youth, have led to significant social and political unrest. The recent Gen Z activism in Kenya serves as a stark warning. To prevent such scenarios in Ghana, it is imperative that the political class collaboratively take proactive and comprehensive measures to address the underlying causes of public discontent. Our preoccupation with political maneuvering should not blind us to the reality of public expectations”.
He admonished his colleagues to pause and reflect on the reality on the ground in respect to high cost of living, high cost food and building material nowadays, “let us all recommit to a national agenda that not only leverages the potential of our youth but also unlocks the massive development potential often associated with the demographic dividend”.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin said, Ghana has long been celebrated as a beacon of democracy and stability in Africa, a testament to the resilience of our institutions and the activism of the political class, however, “beneath this grace lies an emerging reality: the detrimental effects of our politics. The political class is increasingly consumed by a desire to outdo each other, leading to measures aimed more at undermining opponents than fostering national progress”.
“The government has significantly addressed these challenges through social intervention programs. However, these initiatives alone, without the united support of the political class, may fall short of delivering the comprehensive results needed, resulting in counterproductive outcomes to our reasonable gains over the years”, he added.
BACKGROUND
The most recent wave of protests has been driven by opposition to the Finance Bill 2024, which proposed significant tax hikes. These demonstrations, marked by a diverse demographic including millennials and mostly Gen Z participants, showcased widespread economic discontent.
