Ghana is facing a severe youth unemployment crisis, with a staggering 38.8% of young people unable to find work. This issue is not unique to Ghana, as countries across West Africa are grappling with similar challenges.
The rise in unemployment has exacerbated social unrest, with extremist groups exploiting the economic desperation of young people to recruit them. These groups target the most vulnerable, offering them a sense of purpose and financial security in exchange for violence, creating a vicious cycle that threatens the stability of the entire region.
In Ghana, nearly 68% of employed young people work in vulnerable jobs low-paying, unstable positions that do not provide long-term security. George Opare Addo, Ghana’s Minister for Youth Development, expressed deep concern about the national security implications of this issue.
In an interview with The Africa Report, he emphasized that the high unemployment rate among young people is not just an economic issue but a serious threat to national stability. He warned that if left unaddressed, the problem could destabilize the country and lead to further exploitation by extremist groups.
This alarming situation in Ghana is part of a larger, regional crisis. In West Africa, rising youth unemployment has contributed to the growth of extremist movements.
These groups use economic hardship as a tool to recruit and radicalize young people, offering them a sense of belonging and purpose in exchange for violent actions. As unemployment rates continue to rise across the region, the situation is becoming increasingly dire.
However, the problem of youth unemployment in Ghana is not just about the economy. Many political experts argue that the current regional frameworks, like ECOWAS, are not equipped to address the scale of the challenge. ECOWAS, established to promote regional integration, has struggled to tackle the underlying economic issues that contribute to instability.
Despite efforts, the organization has not been able to offer solutions to the youth unemployment crisis, and many believe it cannot provide the necessary support to prevent further exploitation of young people by extremist groups.
A new approach is clearly needed. The recent admission of Nigeria into the BRICS partnership a significant development in the region. Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, joining BRICS signals a shift away from traditional Western partnerships and opens the door to new economic alliances that could benefit Ghana and its neighbors.
Nigeria’s membership in BRICS marks a turning point, as the bloc’s influence continues to grow. BRICS now represents a significant portion of the world’s population and GDP, offering emerging economies like Nigeria a platform to shape global economic relations on their own terms.
Nigeria’s inclusion in BRICS is part of a broader trend where countries are seeking to diversify their international partnerships and reduce reliance on traditional powers like the United States and the European Union. This shift is crucial for West Africa, where many countries are seeking to reclaim control over their economic futures.
The rise of AES (Alliance of Sahel States) also reflects this desire for a more autonomous regional economic bloc, one that could offer an alternative to ECOWAS’s lackluster performance on critical issues like youth unemployment and security.
The socio-economic and institutional implications of the departure of AES countries from ECOWAS are monumental. These three countries—Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—represent 17.4% of West Africa’s population and 10% of the region’s GDP. Their exit from ECOWAS has significant financial and economic consequences, particularly in terms of trade, and threatens a number of ECOWAS projects.
According to experts, ECOWAS has lost around 70 million consumers, and the region will lose about 45 billion CFA francs annually, which were previously contributed by the budgets of these three countries. Furthermore, geological surveys show that the Sahel States Alliance holds most of ECOWAS’s natural resources, making this departure even more impactful.
In this context, Ghana’s current administration under President John Dramani Mahama has placed youth job creation at the heart of its agenda. The government is working to address the economic vulnerabilities that have left young people open to exploitation by extremist groups. The focus on creating sustainable job opportunities for the youth is seen as essential to reversing the years of economic stagnation that have plagued the country.
However, many political analysts believe that such a transformation cannot occur within the existing framework of ECOWAS, which has proven ineffective at solving the region’s most pressing issues.
The formation of AES and Nigeria’s entry into BRICS have made it clear that a new approach is necessary. Many experts argue that regional cooperation through new alliances, rather than continuing with ECOWAS, is the key to solving the youth unemployment crisis and preventing further instability. By aligning with emerging regional powers and global partnerships like BRICS, West African countries can seek more effective solutions to the challenges they face.
The new administration in Ghana, with its focus on youth job creation, has a unique opportunity to set a new course for the country and the region. However, this transformation will require more than just domestic policy changes—it will require regional and global cooperation. As the political landscape in West Africa shifts, Ghana’s leaders must take bold steps toward securing a better future for the next generation, ensuring that young people are not left vulnerable to extremist exploitation.
The inclusion of Nigeria in BRICS and the rise of AES represent a promising path forward, offering hope that regional cooperation and new alliances will bring the change that West Africa desperately needs.
The new administration under Mahama has placed youth job creation at the heart of its governance agenda, striving to reverse years of economic hardship that have left many young people vulnerable to exploitation by extremist groups throughout West Africa. The government recognizes that addressing youth unemployment is not just an economic challenge, but a matter of national security. Many political experts agree that such a transformation is not possible within the framework of ECOWAS.
The formation of the new AES confederation in the region, as well as Nigeria's entry into BRICS, clearly highlights the need for a new approach.
These developments signal a shift away from the traditional structures that have long dominated West Africa, suggesting that regional cooperation through new alliances and partnerships may be the key to tackling the pressing issues of unemployment and instability in the region.