Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has urged Ghana’s youth to lead the nation’s industrial revolution by harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital innovation to drive entrepreneurship.
Speaking at the inaugural Design and Technology Institute (DTI) Legacy Dialogue Series on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, the statesman emphasised that the “future of work” depends on individual innovation rather than state-led industries.
He challenged the younger generation to take full advantage of the technological space, specifically citing AI and social media as transformative tools for wealth creation.
“With nearly 60 per cent of our population under 35, job creation cannot depend on the State alone. Without a vibrant private sector, frustration will continue to grow,” Mr. Kufuor warned.
The event, held at the Labadi Beach Hotel under the theme “Within Our Lifetime: Building Ghana’s Industrial Future,” was opened by Constance Elizabeth Swaniker, the Founder and President of DTI.
In her welcome address, Ms. Swaniker described the former President as a statesman whose vision of a productive, enterprise-driven Ghana has never been more urgently needed.
She noted that the Dialogue Series was established to bridge the gap between policy and the practical skills required for the modern workforce.
“We are here to examine the future of work and skills development,” she said, highlighting DTI’s commitment to technical and vocational excellence as a backbone for Ghana’s industrialization.
Reflecting on the historical lessons that shaped his “Golden Age of Business” vision, Mr. Kufuor reminded the audience that Ghana’s greatest economic successes were driven by private citizens, not the government.
“In the 1940s, this country became the world’s leading cocoa producer not because the government farmed cocoa, but because ordinary men and women responded to market incentives,” he noted.
He lamented that post-independence “statist” models crowded out the risk-taker, resulting in decades of economic underperformance compared to nations like Malaysia and Singapore.
“Wealth creation happens when individuals are allowed to venture, take risks, and pursue profit within a regulated environment. That is how jobs are created, and societies advance,” Kufuor stated.
He further argued that entrepreneurship must be treated as a bipartisan national development strategy rather than a partisan ambition.
“Who does not want Ghana to be far richer than it is today?” he asked, calling for consistent policies that support entrepreneurs who, in turn, benefit the state through taxes and expansion.
The inaugural dialogue brought together a high-profile assembly of policymakers, development partners, academics, and students.
Credit: Benjamin Nii-Lartey Ayiku
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