Accra, Ghana//-STAR-Ghana Foundation, a leading civil society organisation, has called for increased youth involvement in governance, citing the country’s demographic makeup and the importance of empowering young people for economic transformation.
The Executive Director of STAR-Ghana Foundation, Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu, made the call at the launch of the Foundation’s new five-year strategic plan (2025-2029).
“I think there’s a lot still to be done… The majority of our population is young people, and they are the labour force for the economic transformation of this country”, he added.
The new plan, which was launched at the Foundation’s headquarters in Accra, aimed at promoting sustainable growth and impact through active citizenship and local philanthropy.
Mr Amidu was confident that at the end of the five years, “we are looking at improved citizens’ participation in the governance of this country, in all its dimensions, particularly the participation of young people, women, and persons with disability”.
“We believe that when citizens are informed, engaged, and empowered, they can drive meaningful change in governance and public service delivery,” he added.
The strategic plan, Mr Amidu explained also aimed to address gaps in governance, including citizen engagement, transparency, and accountability.
He went to underscore the importance of creating accessible laws and governance structures to facilitate participation, as well as economic empowerment for young people.
The strategic plan focuses on five priority areas namely civil society strengthening, right to services, democratic and inclusive governance, peace and security, and natural resource governance and climate.
In her presentation, the Head of Programmes at STAR-Ghana Foundation, Madam Eunice Agbenyadzi, noted that the new strategic plan is designed to deepen the Foundation’s 3CL approach, playing five interconnected roles: convener, catalyst, coordinator, learning facilitator, and resource mobilizer.
The Chairperson of STAR-Ghana’s Governing Council, Hajia Hamdiya Ismail, told journalists after the launch: “We’re expanding our reach and using technology to enhance our impact”.
“We want to see citizens being active in public discourse and a stronger civil society, and the goal here is to ensure that public services are enhanced and no one is left behind.”
