Nduom urges students put up exemplary life-styles

Presidential candidate of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) for 2008, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, has called on Ghanaian youth, especially students at the tertiary institutions, to live above reproach and help the government to improve the lot of the citizenry.

He insisted that it would be rather ruinous for the nation if the youth, whom he described as the future prospects, abandon “good morals” and indulge in defiant values.

“It is important that as youth you put up exemplary life-styles which would help us to remove the bottlenecks stalling the socio-economic development of the nation,” he contended.

Dr. Nduom was speaking at the 5th anniversary launch of the Students Representative Council (SRC) of the Pentecost University College in Accra.

The programme was on the theme: ‘Developing the Nations Human Resource Base of the Oil Industry, The Role of Private Universities.’

According to him, Ghana can only benefit from the oil proceeds if “strong” and “efficient” legal framework, which seek to protect the interest of the nation are developed.

Citing countries including Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria and Angola as hard-hit by oil- conflicts, Dr. Nduom, who was a former Energy Minister, disclosed that Ghana could only have an escape root from such anarchies, if a resolute legal framework is backed by strong curriculum to educate the masses in the various institutions.

“When you travel to countries such as Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Congo and Nigeria people have been killed because of oil; people have been suppressed because of oil; and people have become frightened among themselves because of oil.

… So it tells you how essential that resource is. That is why people are bent on doing anything at all to lay their hands on it [oil] in a number of countries and we would able to address some of these problems if Ghanaians, particularly the youth, are properly educated,” Dr. Nduom advised.

It was in this direction that he urged government to institute practicable measures to persuade private universities in the country to help in accelerating the pace of development.

His comments attracted wide applause from the gathering, who included the Vice-Rector of the school, Professor Omane- Antwi and respected educationists.

Dr. Nduom also seized the opportunity to rekindle the argument that proceeds from the oil-drilling should be set aside for the development of the Western region.

While lamenting over the state of communities such as Nsuta, Obuasi, Prestia, Tarkwa and Akwatia, where natural resources like gold and diamond have been exploited for several years, he said, it would be ‘disastrous” if the mistakes that led to the appalling situation in those areas are repeated.

“If you know the areas I am talking about very well I believe every one of you here would support what I am saying. We have over the years exploited minerals from these communities and now what do we see? A lot of people are now leaving in abject poverty and it is as if they are not part of the country.

… Mining in Johannesburg has benefited the city a lot. All because the proceeds of gold remained in the hands of the indigenes and the monies were used to develop the city. But in our case the monies are being taken away like nobody’s business.

That is why some of us, right from the onset, called for proper and a more coherent method in the distribution of monies that would be accrued from the oil,” Dr. Nduom noted.

Along that, he urged the youth to remain resolute and not be demoralized by the mere fact that they are enrolled in a private institution and instead aim at becoming successful at wherever they find themselves.

“For the fact that you are enrolled in a private university should not in any way stall your progress in life. You should learn to be yourself and learn to be happy wherever you find yourself,” he asserted.