Skilling Ghana’s Youth: Unlocking jobs and manufacturing investment

This week, my guest columnist is Mustapha Hameed, former Manager, Skills and Institutional Capacity Development at the Petroleum Commission.

He shares his experiences and perspectives on equipping the youth with skills for job creation and promotion of investment in an increasingly competitive global market.

Conversation on global trade

In a recent conversation between World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Michael Froman, President of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), the focus was on the current state of global trade amid President Donald Trump’s tariff policies and the ongoing trade tensions between the United States and China.

Okonjo-Iweala passionately argued that investing in technology and a skilled workforce, rather than pursuing import substitution, is the key to driving economic growth and job creation.

She pointed to historical evidence, noting that import substitution policies failed in countries such as Brazil and Nigeria, while export-led growth, backed by highly trained workers and strategic technological advancements, propelled ASEAN nations and China to success.

Okonjo-Iweala cautioned that tariffs and reindustrialisation through import substitution often overlook critical factors such as technological advancements, which displace manufacturing jobs more than trade does.

She cited coal mining in Virginia, where automation, not imports, reduced labour demand.

Petroleum Commission experience

For seven years, I have been deeply engaged in developing a highly skilled Ghanaian workforce under the aegis of the Petroleum Commission, leading the largest technician training programme to international certification standards in Ghana’s history.

This initiative trained recent graduates from diverse backgrounds as mechanical maintenance technicians, electrical technicians, instrumentation technicians, production process technicians, certified welders, welding inspectors, pipefitters, among others.

These skills, while initially targeted for the upstream petroleum industry, have cross-industry applications in manufacturing, downstream petroleum, construction, refineries, power, energy, and allied sectors.

To address the high costs of international certifications, I spearheaded an initiative to develop Ghana-specific yet globally recognised certification systems.

This ensures that Ghanaian technicians are not only trained but also equipped with credentials to work competitively on the global stage, reducing reliance on costly foreign certifications and enhancing employability.

Several graduates from this programme now work across industries in Ghana and abroad, contributing to economic growth and demonstrating the power of targeted skills development.

Building institutional capacity

Okonjo-Iweala’s insights resonate deeply with my experience in institutional capacity building and workforce development.

I firmly believe that a deliberate state-led focus on specialised training institutions and high-calibre technical expertise is essential for creating employment opportunities and attracting manufacturing investments to Ghana.

By equipping our youth with globally relevant, technology-driven skills, just like the Chinese over the decades, Ghana can draw multinational corporations, enhance local production, and establish itself as a prime destination for industries seeking a skilled workforce.

The success of countries such as Cambodia, where affordable, trainable labour has fuelled manufacturing growth, underscores the potential of this approach.

Okonjo-Iweala also emphasised the need for the United States to retrain its workers and capitalise on its strengths in innovation, creativity, and its 80 per cent services-driven economy.

She urged a shift away from protectionist policies toward strategies that embraced technological change and global competitiveness.

This advice is highly relevant for Ghana, which can harness its young, digitally connected population, strategic trade agreements, and growing innovation ecosystem to develop the technical and technological skills needed to create jobs and attract manufacturing investments from multinational corporations.

Implementing targeted strategies

Drawing from Okonjo-Iweala’s call to learn from history, prioritise innovation, and adapt to technological shifts, Ghana can implement targeted strategies to empower its youth and boost manufacturing investment:

1.    Expanding Competency-Based Training: Scale vocational programmes to international standards or create Ghana-specific, globally recognised certifications, as pioneered in the technician training initiative, to reduce costs. A skilled workforce, such as Cambodia’s, attracts manufacturers seeking cost-effective, trainable labour.

2.    Investing in Digital Infrastructure: Strengthen initiatives such as the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) to enhance connectivity, particularly in rural areas, while prioritising digital literacy to bridge urban-rural divides. Ghana’s ICT sector, contributing 21 billion cedis annually, can support tech-driven manufacturing and job creation.

3.    Fostering Innovation Hubs: Support Ghana’s through the establishment of tech hubs in Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, Tamale, Wa, Ho, and beyond to drive fintech, agtech, and medtech innovation. Offer tax breaks and grants for startups in manufacturing-related sectors.

4.    Leveraging Trade Agreements: Maximise AGOA and AfCFTA to attract investment in garments and agricultural processing.

5.    Promoting Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): Collaborate with global firms and organisations such as JICA, as done in the technician training programme, to fund skills development. PPPs to ensure training meets the needs of industries such as electronics, addressing Ghana’s labour shortages.

6.    Developing a National AI Strategy: Build on Google’s AI hub in Accra to establish research centres and train youth in AI-driven manufacturing and trade solutions. Leverage on KNUST’s science and technology expertise to establish Ghana’s first AI Lab on the campus while deliberately supporting the development of startups within the enclave, similar to U of Cs within Silicon Valley.

7.    Startup Incubation Framework: Model the AI Lab’s startup enclave on successful incubators such as Nigeria’s Co-Creation Hub. Provide seed funding, mentorship, and VC connections through events such as Tech in Ghana. Streamline regulations to attract foreign investment, learning from Rwanda’s investor-friendly policies.

Investing in our people, embracing innovation

Ghana’s future depends on empowering its youth with cutting-edge technical and technological skills to drive employment and attract manufacturing investment.

The technician training programme I led under the Petroleum Commission is a testament to this vision, producing a skilled workforce that has transformed lives and industries.

By investing in our people, embracing innovation, and leveraging strategic trade policies, Ghana can overcome the pitfalls of import substitution and emulate the success of export-led economies.

Let us commit to building a future where Ghana’s youth are the backbone of a thriving, manufacturing-driven economy.

Email: rodboat@yahoo.com