Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare Addo, has lauded President John Dramani Mahama for fulfilling all promises made to Ghana’s youth, describing his leadership as one defined by “commitment, action, and results.”
Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show, Opare Addo outlined several youth-focused initiatives that, in his view, reflect the President’s dedication to empowering young people through skills training, education, and job creation.
According to him, within his first year in office, President Mahama has committed GH¢400 million to the National Apprenticeship Programme and the Adwumawura Initiative—both aimed at equipping thousands of young Ghanaians with employable skills.
“This is real commitment, not ‘audio money.’ This is money that has actually been released, and training is already ongoing,” he stated.
He further disclosed that the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has commenced new training programmes to complement the government’s broader youth development agenda.
Beyond vocational and apprenticeship programmes, Opare Addo said President Mahama has also shown strong support for Ghana’s digital economy, citing the GH¢1 million Coders Programme as an example of tangible investment in the country’s future workforce.
“In total, President Mahama has already committed close to half a billion cedis to youth programmes. And this is only his first year. I believe he will do even more in his second,” he noted.
On education, the minister commended President Mahama for introducing policies that ease the financial burden on tertiary students.
“He introduced the free fees policy to reduce the stress associated with paying for higher education. In the first year, government supports the students directly, and from the second year, they can access the Student Loan Trust Fund to continue their studies and repay after graduation,” he explained.
Opare Addo also described President Mahama as a hands-on leader who maintains constant engagement with his ministers to stay informed about developments across various sectors.
“The President is always on top of issues. He calls ministers for updates on what is happening in their ministries. Sometimes he even verifies information personally — so as a minister, you always have to be alert,” he revealed.
He concluded that the President’s proactive leadership and consistency in delivering on his commitments set him apart from others.
“Every promise President Mahama made to the youth has been fulfilled. This is leadership with vision and action,” he affirmed.
ALSO READ: