True development transcends GDP figures and infrastructure, demanding investments in human capital. In this first in a three-part series, we focus on the family and the youth as the twin pillars of sustainable transformation.
An economy’s greatest asset is not its natural resources or foreign investments—but its people. This principle is well established in both classical and modern economic theory. Yet, in practice, the road to development in many “developed” nations and those aspiring to follow in their footsteps has often ignored or undervalued this truth. For “developing” economies in Africa, such as Ghana, the time has come to critically reassess the real drivers of transformation—not just through the extraction of finite natural resources, GDP or industrial output, but through deliberate investment in human capital, beginning with the family, youth, education, and authentic leadership.
The Family as the Cornerstone of Sustainable Economic Development in Africa
My oft-stated proposition that the state of the family, the source of human resources, is the first most important indicator of the nature of the economic development of a nation holds profound truth—especially within the Ghanaian and wider African context. The family is not just a social unit but also the foundation of human capital formation, value transmission, labor supply, and cultural continuity. The World Bank, in its 2020 Human Capital Index, emphasizes that “human capital—the knowledge, skills, and health that people accumulate over their lives—is a central driver of sustainable growth and poverty reduction.” And yet, where does this human capital originate? The family.
In many African societies, including Ghana, the family has traditionally been the institution responsible for the upbringing, moral grounding, and informal education of children, who later become the workforce. This truism is confirmed by Professor Akosua Adomako Ampofo of the University of Ghana who stated that “African families, although diverse, have historically been repositories of moral, social, and economic education” (2010). However, modern development paradigms—often modeled on Western systems—have disrupted these traditional structures. Urbanization, labor migration, and the quest for economic survival have resulted in dislocated families, absentee parenting, and a weakening of intergenerational ties. In Ghana, the Ghana Statistical Service (2021) notes that nearly 29% of children under 15 live in households where one or both parents are absent, primarily due to economic reasons.
This erosion of the family unit has dire consequences for economic development. Children growing up in unstable or broken homes often lack emotional security, adequate supervision, and consistent moral guidance—factors that contribute to school dropout rates, youth unemployment, and underemployment. According to UNICEF Ghana, “children from stable and supportive family environments are more likely to complete school, have better health, and become productive adults.”
When economies treat the family as dispensable or merely as a consumer unit, they undermine the very foundation of their human capital. True economic development, therefore, cannot ignore the integrity of the family. Policymakers must resist copying wholesale the socioeconomic systems of the West, where the family is often subordinated to market demands. Instead, we must re-center development around the well-being of families.
This calls for family-oriented economic policies—such as flexible work arrangements, parental leave for both parents, community-based childcare support, and affordable housing. Countries like Rwanda and Ethiopia, which are beginning to integrate community and family cohesion into national planning frameworks, offer relevant African models worth studying. As the African Union Agenda 2063 underscores, “Africa’s development must be people-driven, relying on the potential offered by African people, especially women and youth.” This potential, however, can only be harnessed through the stability and nurturing of the African family.
In sum, the family remains not just the basic unit of society but the crucible of any real, lasting economic development. A nation that fails to preserve and empower the family undermines its future workforce and risks building an economy on shaky foundations. Unfortunately, that is the trajectory of Ghana.
Youth and the Mirage of Economic Development
The youth are wrongly dubbed the “future leaders” of society. Alexander the Great began his most significant conquests, including the Persian Empire, in his early twenties after he became king at the age of 20. By the age of 30, he had built one of the largest empires in the ancient world, stretching from Greece to northwestern India. If the youth were considered “future leaders” at the time; and had he succumbed to that label, he couldn’t have achieved that feat at such a young age.
Similarly, numerous ancient African emperors and kings ascended to power at young ages. Some notable examples include Pepi II Neferkare (Ancient Egypt), reported to have become pharaoh at the age of six, making him the youngest pharaoh in Ancient Egyptian history. Ezana of Aksum (Ancient Ethiopia) inherited the throne as a child after his father’s death.
While the Queen of Sheba’s age when she became queen is not specified in any historical or legendary accounts, she was likely still young when she visited King Solomon in Israel. It is also possible that some of the Candace queens that governed the Kingdom of Kush, also known as Nubia or Ethiopia, from Meroe, in modern-day Sudan were young. However, it is not possible to identify them due to a limited understanding of the Meroitic language.
The youth, thus should be at the heart of any credible economic development strategy as the leaders today. Yet, in keeping with so-called modern development paradigms, many African nations including Ghana, have reduced the youth to a position of marginalization, disillusionment, and neglect. Despite forming the largest demographic group in Africa—with 60% of the population under the age of 25, the youth remain largely excluded from national development frameworks. The consequences are dire: rising youth unemployment, mental health challenges, drug abuse, apathy, and in extreme cases, social unrest and forced migration.
As the family structure weakens under the weight of economic pressures, its vital role in shaping the values, aspirations, and resilience of young people has been severely compromised. In Ghana, for example, the Ghana Statistical Service reports that nearly 38% of young people aged 15–24 are not in education, employment, or training (NEET) as of 2023. This statistic is more than a number—it reflects a system failing to nurture its next generation.
The breakdown of the family has created a vacuum in moral and psychological guidance. Traditionally, parents and elders played a crucial mentoring role, offering explanations for life’s uncertainties and helping youth find purpose and identity. But as economic demands force parents into long working hours or migration, and as the education system remains overly academic and detached from real-world needs, youth are left to navigate a complex world largely unguided.
Professor Esi Sutherland-Addy of the University of Ghana captures this dilemma succinctly: “There is a disconnection between our socio-economic systems and the cultural institutions that once held our communities together. In this gap, the youth are lost.” Meanwhile, government interventions, though numerous in theory, often lack coherence and long-term vision.
Instead of designing policies that nurture their talents and potential, many African societies focus on material growth indicators—GDP, infrastructure, foreign investment—while sidelining the social systems that humanize development. Granted, those metrics have their place in the development agenda. Yet, as UNESCO (2017) warns, “Economic growth without social development is unsustainable. It risks creating alienated, underprepared citizens who lack a sense of belonging or direction.”
The result is a generation that feels betrayed by the very society that promises them the future. They are bombarded with images of wealth but offered few meaningful pathways to achieve it. Disillusionment grows, not because the youth are lazy or entitled, but because their environment offers little moral, social, or economic scaffolding. As one young Ghanaian told UNDP Ghana during a 2022 youth engagement forum, “We’re told we’re the future, but no one is preparing us to lead it.”
Therefore, the crisis is not just economic—it is existential. If Africa continues to pursue a model of “development” that undermines families, sidelines youth, and worships materialism, then it is complicit in its own undoing. The solution must begin with a radical reorientation: one that places youth development—spiritually, morally, socially, and economically—at the core of national progress.
Only when African nations invest not just in skills training or job creation, but also in identity formation, civic responsibility, and intergenerational mentorship, can we hope to raise a generation capable of leading with vision and integrity. Until then, the so-called “future leaders” remain an abandoned promise—a symbol of how far society has strayed from authentic, human-centered development.
Both family and youth are central to any meaningful development strategy. If we continue to ignore their foundational role, we will continue building economies on sand. But addressing family disintegration and youth disengagement requires a deeper look into the role of education. In Part II, we delve into the mis-education crisis and its far-reaching consequences for Africa’s human capital.
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The author is a dynamic entrepreneur and the Founder and Group CEO of Groupe Soleil Vision, made up of Soleil Consults (US), LLC, NubianBiz.com and Soleil Publications. He has an extensive background In Strategy, Management, Entrepreneurship, Premium Audit Advisory, And Web Consulting. With professional experiences spanning both Ghana and the United States, Jules has developed a reputation as a thought leader in fields such as corporate governance, leadership, e-commerce, and customer service. His publications explore a variety of topics, including economics, information technology, marketing and branding, making him a prominent voice in discussions on development and business innovation across Africa. Through NubianBiz.com, he actively champions intra-African trade and technology-driven growth to empower SMEs across the continent.
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