Petroleum engineer and youth activist Andy Darko has expressed deep concern about the growing disillusionment among Ghanaian youth, blaming high unemployment, inflation, and lack of opportunity for what he describes as a mass exodus of the country’s brightest minds.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Monday (9 June), Darko painted a bleak picture of life for many young Ghanaians, pointing to recent statistics suggesting that up to 60,000 Ghanaians applied for US visas while only about 50,000 were admitted to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
“Imagine the same number of people entering university are also the same number trying to leave the country. That should tell you that we’re in crisis,” Darko said. “What we put in is not what we get. That’s killing the hope of every youth in the country.”
Darko argued that many young people are looking overseas not because of a lack of love for Ghana but because they see their peers abroad living comparatively comfortable lives.
“Over there, you work and you can feed yourself and save. Over here, you work hard, but you can’t even afford a phone or pay for fuel. You spend GHC200 just stepping out of your house,” he added.
He believes that leadership has failed to provide the environment necessary for young people to thrive and called for deliberate investment in industries that empower youth — especially sports, music, and technology. According to him, such sectors not only provide employment but also inspire patriotism.
Quoting Ghanaian composer Ephraim Amu as an example, Andy emphasised how music and culture once fuelled a strong sense of national pride, something he says is missing today.
“We need clear leadership that says, ‘I am here for the youth.’ That’s the starting point for building a patriotic generation,” he added.
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