Ghana’s youth policy delay is evident enough of Gov’t neglect…

Mr. Kobina Afena-Sam, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Coordinator of the National Youth Council (N.Y.C), has expressed worry over the absence and delay in the promulgation of a national youth policy.

Mr. Afena-Sam therefore called on government to fast track the introduction of the policy.

He noted that young people worldwide are recognized as very important human capital hence the need to formulate a policy that would help implement policies that concerns the youth.

The Brong-Ahafo regional youth coordinator indicated that development of the youth therefore, was considered an important part of national development.
He was speaking at a youth forum held in Sunyani that provided the platform for the youth to discuss strategic progammes and policies with the objective of coming out with a regional action plan that is very relevant to the regional development agenda.

The forum attracted over 100 participants from various youth organizations, collaborating ministries, departments and agencies from the Brong Ahafo Region.
The forum was on the theme: ‘Promoting Youth Empowerment for Productive and Better Citizenship: Positioning Brong-Ahafo Youth for Active Participation.’
Mr. Afena -Sam pointed out that there is the need for the formulation of sectoral policies which would institutionalize the youth participatory policies in national development.

He disclosed that currently, the youth council is present in only 8 out of the 22 districts in the Brong Ahafo Region because of lack of offices.
He therefore appealed to the Brong Ahafo Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) to assist the council to acquire offices to enable a large number of the youth to access economically youth oriented projects.
He also appealed to district and municipal assemblies to assist the council to acquire a site to set up youth resource and recreational centres.

Mr. Afena-Sam further appealed to youth groups in the region to register with the youth council since it is a legal requirement.
For his part, Hon Eric Opoku, the Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, observed that the youth are major human resource for the development of the country and must therefore be adequately resourced.

He added that the youth are agents for social change and economic development and as such the many problems confronting them needed to be addressed.
“Ghana is for all of us; we all have ideas and divergent opinions that we can to express for the betterment of Ghana, therefore the youth should help the government to implement its policies and programmes to make Ghana a better place,” the minister urged.

He said there was the need for the citizenry to fulfill their tax obligations for more income to undertake development projects.

He further charged the forum to propose the setting up of a youth development fund to be disbursed by the existing banks, which would enable the youth access adequate funds for the establishment of business ventures.

The deputy regional minister challenged young people as custodians of the future to have a high stake in environmental conservation and lead the crusade against environmental degradation.