Kufuor Urges Youth to Become Kingmakers in December Polls

Former President of Ghana, John Agyekum Kufuor, has encouraged the youth of Ghana to actively engage in the December election to facilitate the necessary progress and development.

The former president emphasized that the participation of the youth in the country’s electoral processes will play a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s future.

Addressing the launch of the Kufuor Scholars Foundation, a voter mobilization initiative aimed at enhancing youth engagement in the December elections, John Kufour emphasized that young people should recognize their role as decisive influencers in the electoral process.

“Ghana alone has about 30 million citizens and with your learning and mature brain power throughout our societies, if you would do what you should do as responsible citizens to try to give the nation good leadership, inclusive leadership, if you would do that, then I tell you, within a few years you will see Ghana turning around to really be coming up, to be emulated on the continent of Africa to better the lot of humanity.”

In the 2020 elections, more than 17 million eligible Ghanaian voters registered to participate, but only 13 million individuals ultimately cast their votes.

Concerns such as voter apathy, economic challenges, and perceived mismanagement are emerging as potential reasons why these individuals may have chosen not to participate in the voting process.

The situation appears to be more critical leading up to the December 7 election, according to a survey conducted by the Kufuor Scholars Foundation on voter engagement, which indicated that 43 percent out of every 1,000 Ghanaians do not intend to participate in the voting process.

In response to the urgency of the situation, the Kufuor Scholars Programme, under the John Agyekum Kufuor Foundation, has collaborated with the National Commission for Civic Education to initiate a voter education campaign. The aim is to enhance knowledge and awareness about the importance of voting in elections.

At the event, the former President added, “With over 70% of the youth population, you have the potential to be unstoppable if you commit to doing what is right.”

Several notable figures graced the launch, including Prof Agyemang Baffuor Duah, CEO of JAK Foundation; H.E. Harriet Thompson, British High Commissioner to Ghana; Dr. Pascal Brenya, KSP Coordinator; Nana Ama Oppong Duah, Policy Advisor at the JAK Foundation; and Irene Horsham, Esq., Rector of Mountcrest University.