Using music to instill hope and promote societal development: The case of GhagroPoliss

We can only take charge of our destinies by believing in ourselves while deliberately strengthening our capabilities and developing our abilities. My song "Capabilities” communicates a message of hope and inspires everyone – to exhibit the attitude needed to be successful. We can then contribute to the growth of our communities and advocate for positive change in promoting economic transformation for sustainable societal development.

One would ask why a young man of sterling academic achievements decided to do

music at this time of his career. Although I hold a Doctor of Science Degree in

Mechanical Engineering, I have the passion to unleash my divine talent on the virtue of inspiring others and encouraging a culture of prosperity for all.

Furthermore, my inward drive to do music is to motivate others to reflect on their passion and work on their talents. This bold action will go a long way to nurture and promote entrepreneurship in our communities towards societal advancement.

I consider myself a Global Ambassador for Food Security and Skills Development. My zest for declaring and decreeing a humble title to serving the world pivots on a clear vision – inspiring audiences through entertainment and championing food security and skills development. This vision has three (3) fundamental pillars: 1) use my God-given talent in songwriting and singing to produce quality music to inspire, motivate, and entertain audiences; 2) use the act of performing, fundraising, and collaborations to champion food security; 3) use the medium of advocacy to champion skills development.

Having grown up in a poor neighborhood in Ghana, I know what poverty means. Food

security is one of the ways to alleviate poverty. I plan to promote agriculture, thus growing what we eat and creating employment opportunities. Also, having trained as a welder and a mechanic, I know how skills development could enhance the career prospects of an individual. My plan for skills development is to promote education and training for the youth (between the age bracket of 14-40 years old) to acquire hard and soft skills in the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) landscape, examples being in welding, mechanic, cyber security, artificial intelligence, etc.

Our environment needs to be protected the same way as our territories. We require a climate-change mindset and military-related skillsets to achieve a peaceful world. I stand by the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals. Strategic collaboration with the World Bank, the UN, and the UNESCO-UNIVOC networks shall be beneficial in accelerating and achieving significant results in line with the targets enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially in poverty eradication, zero hunger, and education for all. My team and I are eager to raise $ 1 million to champion food security and skills development this year.

Although my overarching vision is global, I deem it fit to start locally (from Ghana). As a citizen of Ghana, a lower-middle income economy country (as defined by the World Bank), it is not lost on me that our confidence is in a state of passivity because of the "leadership crisis’’ the nation faces time and again. The country’s resources are being exploited, but not for the common good of the citizens. The majority of Ghanaians live in hardship and deplorable conditions. Our rich human capital (50-55% of the population is in the youth bracket) is under-tapped, thus leaving a significant section of the population

illiterate and unemployed.

The Ghana Statistical Service's (GSS) Quarterly Labor Statistics report for 2022 stated that more than a quarter (28.8%) of the youth population (15–24 years) are not in education, employment, or training (NEET). The GSS further revealed in its 2022 illiteracy report that 7.9 million persons aged between 6 years and older in Ghana are illiterate. This figure suggests that 4.6 million illiterates are female, and 3.3 million illiterates are male. We need to provide a platform for entrepreneurship, skills training, job creation, and self-emancipation to eradicate hunger and poverty to set a better precedence for the next generations.

Dr. Myles Monroe once said, "If you are going to transform something, you must engage it. You can't change what you avoid". I am ready to be part of well-meaning Ghanaians, Africans, and the Global Public who are determined to help change the current narrative for a brighter future devoid of hunger, poverty, and lack of education. I believe in riding on the back of music to bring a positive change. Music is spiritual and a powerful tool that pierces through the soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow. Music is used in all human activities like fundraising, tournaments, national celebrations, and other

programs and events, thus energizing people to do their best in diverse situations.

I take this opportunity to seek your kind attention to support the course ahead. The UN puts it this way “Ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and address a range of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities, while tackling climate change and environmental protection”.