Kufuor outlines legacy to help youth do better than his generation

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor says he wants to leave a legacy that helps young people learn from his generation’s experiences and achieve more.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Wednesday, he said rapid technological change means today’s youth may not have time for the long apprenticeship that shaped his career.

“I say I came to what I eventually ended up in through a long apprenticeship. They may not be privileged to undergo such an apprenticeship with time.”

His remarks followed a question about young people’s attraction to flashy houses and cars, and the lessons they could draw from his journey.

Kufuor said his path took him through legal studies, law practice and city administration. But the world moves much faster now, with artificial intelligence and other technologies transforming how people learn and work.

He said older generations have a responsibility to turn their experiences into lessons young people can use.

“So my generation should feel a responsibility to sort of package the experiences we had to go through to get to where we are, because I believe in the intergenerational evolution of society.”

For Kufuor, mentorship should help young people gain insights faster and prepare them to improve on what their predecessors achieved.

He also expressed confidence in the current generation’s abilities.

“I tend to believe the current generation is far better educated than our generation.”

He pointed to modern science, technology and access to information as advantages. Recalling the limited number of telephones in Kumasi in the 1950s and 1960s, he contrasted that experience with how quickly young people can now access knowledge.

“They can learn very fast. In that sense, they are better prepared than their ancestors.”

That ambition aligns with the John A. Kufuor Foundation's work. It promotes leadership, good governance and socioeconomic development, with a focus on preparing young people for leadership.

Its Kufuor Scholars Program supports that goal through leadership training, mentoring, coaching and practical activities. It seeks to develop patriotic, ethical and creative problem-solvers who can contribute to national development.

Kufuor said sharing his generation’s experiences should help young people understand how earlier generations achieved progress and build on it in a rapidly changing world.