George Antwi-Boasiako writes: Curbing youth unemployment in Bono East through entrepreneurship and innovation, a call to action from all citizens

Every year in the Bono East Region, hundreds of young people graduate from senior high schools and tertiary institutions. They leave the classroom full of dreams—only to enter a world that has no room for them. No job, no opportunities, and no support. And so, they wait. Some migrate to the cities. Some become burdened on their families. Some lose hope.

But Bono East is not hopeless. Our youth are not helpless.

They are full of talent, passion, and ideas. What they need is a platform and that platform must be entrepreneurship and innovation.

The truth is clear: the traditional job market can no longer carry the weight of our growing youth population. The public sector is saturated, and the private sector is still too small. But entrepreneurship offers an open field where the only limit is vision, support, and opportunity.

The Solution: A Regional Ecosystem for Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation

If we want to reduce youth unemployment in Bono East, we must do more than talk, we must build. And here is how:

🔹 1. District-Level Entrepreneurship Hubs:

Let every district in Bono East be home to a fully functional innovation and entrepreneurship hub—spaces where youth can access training, mentorship, digital skills, and startup support.

Agrico Hub in Techiman a classic example in the region.

Born from a vision to nurture talent and create jobs, Agrico Hub has become a vibrant space for young entrepreneurs and changemakers. It must now serve as a model for replication across other districts—customized to local strengths, but united in mission.

🔹 2. Seed Funding & Micro-Grants for Youth Startups:

Let’s create a Bono East Youth Enterprise Fund—a shared pool from government, private investors, NGOs, and the diaspora community—to provide micro-capital (GHS 5,000–GHS 20,000) to youth-led businesses with promise.

🔹 3. Technical and Vocational Support for SHS Graduates:

Too many young people finish SHS with no clear path. We must introduce structured post-graduation entrepreneurship programs, especially in agribusiness, trade, tech, and vocational crafts that turn skills into sustainable livelihoods.

🔹 4. A “Made in Bono East” Innovation Festival:

Let’s showcase youth-led innovations and businesses at an annual festival that puts our talent on the map. Local pride drives confidence. Confidence drives progress.

🔹 5. Community-Based Mentorship Networks:

We need to tap into our traditional leaders, religious heads, retired professionals, and business owners to build mentoring networks. Imagine every promising youth entrepreneur being guided by a seasoned local leader. This is how we multiply success.

The Role of the Bono East Diaspora: Come Home with More Than Remittances

To our brothers and sisters living abroad or in other regions, this is your region too. Youth unemployment in Bono East affects us all. You left for opportunities, but now it’s time to give others a reason to stay.

Let your next visit home be a mission. Sponsor a youth business. Adopt a community hub. Bring home your skills, networks, and capital. Let’s shift from sending money to sending mentorship, investment, and belief.

This is not charity. This is investment.

We are not “helping” the youth, we are building the economic future of our region. Every successful youth-led business creates jobs, solves problems, and reduces dependency. Every supported dream is a bullet removed from the chamber of hopelessness.

And now, the call to our opinion leaders:

If you are a chief, MP, DCE, religious leader, entrepreneur, or teacher in Bono East, your influence is needed. Use it to create space for young people to build. Use it to demand youth-focused policies. Use it to fund innovation.

Let’s shift from giving handouts to building hands that create. From lamenting the lack of jobs to enabling job creators. From exporting our youth to other regions to investing in them right here.

This is our moment. Let’s rise together. Let’s build a Bono East where no young person is left behind not for lack of talent, but for lack of opportunity.

By: George Antwi-Boasiako (BA, MSc, MSc)

Economist | Development Finance Specialist | M&E and Entrepreneurship Expert

CEO, Agrico Hub | Director of Finance, Ghana Hubs Network

Tel: 0244016046

Email: gkantwi12@gmail.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-k-antwi-a36624202?

Source: Ghanaweb.mobi