Two years ago in 2018, a leading National Democratic Congress (NDC) member, Professor Joshua Alabi said he sees absolutely nothing wrong with young persons between the ages of 30 and 40 years taking up key leadership positions in governance.

Mr. Alabi stated that his sole concern is the inexperience of these persons and how much grooming they would need to enable them perform adequately and efficiently in whichever positions they might occupy.

Mr Alabi who was a flag bearer-hopeful of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) wrote in an article that: “I am not opposed to young people occupying high positions within government or leading this country. I am emphatic on the need for ‘grooming’ which will produce maturity and also avoid the mistakes usually committed by inexperienced people in political leadership” he stated.

Read the full article as first published by GhanaWeb below:

NDC Flagbearer aspirant, Professor Joshua Alabi has stated that sees absolutely nothing wrong with young persons between the ages of 30 and 40 years taking up key leadership positions in governance or even leading the country, his sole concern is the inexperience of these persons and how much grooming they would have received to equip them perform adequately and efficiently in whichever positions they occupy, this is the exposition of flag bearer-hopeful of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Professor Joshua Alabi following his “young people can’t rule Ghana yet” comments which made headlines on several media platforms Monday.

Prof. Alabi made statements on Accra-based Starr FM May 14, 2018, to the effect that Ghana is not yet ready to be governed by young people and that the country cannot at this point be left in the hands of younger ones.

“We still have not gotten to the level where we can leave the country in the hands of the younger ones. They have to be groomed,” he told Morning Starr Host, Francis Abban.

Having received quite a backlash from Ghanaians particularly youth members of the NDC, he has emerged with a rejoinder indicating that his comments were completely misconstrued and misinterpreted.

According to him, he is not “opposed to young people occupying high positions within government or leading this country”, he is merely emphatic on the need for ‘grooming’ which he believes will “will produce maturity which will enable young politicians to avoid the mistakes usually committed by inexperienced people in political leadership”.

For someone who was appointed Minister of State in his 30s, he believes that ‘maturity’ comes from the mind and not the age and that grooming is a major factor in defining the state of mind.

Contrary to what reports suggest, Prof Alabi says, he, as a firm believer in youth development believes that the skills, talents and intellect of young people can be harnessed for the development of Ghana and the growth of the NDC.

Read his full article below

Prof Joshua Alabi writes

Having taken cognizance of the feedback from our many young people in the NDC, with regards to my comments on whether or not young people should lead our country, and the subsequent misleading headlines on various news portals, I wish to reassure our teeming young members, that I am not opposed to young people occupying high positions within government or leading this country.

I indicated that, in political leadership, there is the need for grooming.

Grooming will produce maturity which will enable young politicians to avoid the mistakes usually committed by inexperienced people in political leadership.

It is grooming that defines the state of mind, not the age. Maturity comes from the mind, not age.

I was appointed a Minister of State when I was in my 30s, and have been well groomed for leadership.


As a firm believer in youth development, I have given many young persons opportunities to be part of leadership throughout my many years of public service, whilst mentoring and grooming them, and that situation will not change under my tenure as Flagbearer and President in a future NDC government.

The skills, talents and intellect of our young people shall be harnessed for the development of Ghana and the growth of the NDC.