Business-as-usual approach won’t give us ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ – Ayorkor Botchwey

Ghana's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has pointed out that the quest to attaining a future beyond aid in Africa would require investment in the continent's youth and also doing things differently from the status quo.

She was speaking at the closing ceremony of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Bureau for Africa 2019 annual meeting held at the Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel in Accra

The minister encouraged African nations to make good use of the continent's youthful population.

She indicated that global population projections show that between now and 2050, the greatest spurt of population expansion will occur in Africa.

"Already, we have a large share of the world's youthful population. This could mean economic power for us [Africa], but only on the condition that we are able to strategically position the continent to take advantage of this human resource endowment for development," Ms Ayorkor Botchwey intimated.

She, therefore, said the provision of education should remain a key priority as it would equip the youth of Africa and future leaders with the ability to contribute meaningfully through innovative means for development.

"Ghana has already embarked on this essential capacity development of her youth," she said in her closing remarks.

She cited the Ghanaian government's Free Senior High School (SHS) policy as one of the ways in which Ghana is consciously contributing to education and skills development of its young people.

According to Ms Ayorkor Botchwey, it is reassuring that Africa has started taking steps to reduce aid dependency.

"However, we are mindful of the challenges ahead of the promising journey we have embarked upon," the minister added.

She stressed that although seemingly formidable, the task ahead of Africans is achievable.

But she warned: "...We will not be successful in this enterprise if we adopt a business-as-usual approach to doing things."