Hon. Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah Calls for Investment in Health, Skills and Financial Literacy to Secure Ghana’s Future

Member of Parliament for Takoradi Constituency, Hon. Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, has urged government to prioritize investment in the health, skills and financial literacy of young people, describing them as critical to securing Ghana’s future.

Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday during the commemoration of World Population Day 2026, Hon. Darko-Mensah was contributing to a statement delivered by the Deputy Minority Leader.

The Takoradi MP said the theme for this year’s commemoration — _“Investing in the future through health, skills and empowered young people”_ — speaks directly to Ghana’s development needs.

He stressed that without good health, there can be no productivity or wealth creation. “Health is the foundation. If our young people are not healthy, all the skills and education we give them will not yield the needed results,” he noted.

On skills development, Hon. Darko-Mensah made a strong case for vocational and technical training. He said equipping youth with practical, employable skills is one of the fastest ways to tackle unemployment and grow local economies, especially in urban centers like Takoradi.

He also called for deliberate support for young entrepreneurs with tools, mentorship and access to markets so they can turn skills into businesses.

The MP further highlighted financial literacy as an area that must not be ignored. According to him, many young Ghanaians lack basic knowledge on savings, investment and money management, and this gap leaves them vulnerable later in life.

“We must start teaching financial literacy from the basic school level. By the time people try to catch up as adults, it is often too late,” he said.

Hon. Darko-Mensah added that while government has a role, parents and communities must also take responsibility in guiding young people and instilling discipline, creativity and resilience.

He concluded that a healthy, skilled and financially aware youth population is the surest way to transform Ghana’s demographic potential into a real demographic dividend.