News Africa

Improving human capital to get the Demographic Dividend

Discussants at a National Dialogue on Harnessing the Demographic Dividend for Ghana’s Development agree there’s a need for the country to improve the quality of its human capital.

 

They believe that Ghana is in the position to benefit from demographic dividend if measures are adopted to accelerate the decline in fertility and lower mortality.

Demographic related partners have been discussing how Ghana can capitalize on the Demographic Dividend.

Demographers concede that if Ghana wants to develop in quantum leaps, it is important to focus on four key parameters.

These are good governance, the economy, education and health.

This is why the National Development Planning Commission, Regional Institute for Population Studies and the National Population Council convened a national dialogue on harnessing the demographic dividend for Ghana’s Development.

The session is receiving support from the United Nations population Fund and Agence Francaise de Development (AFD).

In his study on how Ghana can capitalize on the demographic dividend, a demographer Jean Pierre Guengant recommends three key policy areas Ghana can implement to accelerate economic growth and reduce poverty.

These are, proper management of oil revenues, improvement in human capital and the rapid reduction of dependency ratios through a continued decline in fertility.

Contextualizing the research in the Ghanaian situation, both Dr Stephen Kwankye of the National Population Council and Prof Joe Amoako- Tuffour of the African Center for Economic Transformation agree that population growth and economic development are in tandem for Ghana’s progress.

Source: Job Market Source