GOVERNMENT WILL DEVELOP YOUTH

GOVERNMENT WILL DEVELOP YOUTH August 25, 2011

BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM
ISD-BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL

The Upper East regional minister, Mr. Mark Owen Woyongo has told a gathering of youth from across the region that government has resolved to develop the country’s youth by building their capacities and capabilities to take up the administration of the country when the present generation becomes weak and cannot work. He observed that as contained in the manifesto of President Mills’ campaign in the 2008 elections, the youth has been placed at the centre of government affairs.

The regional minister was addressing the youth at a sensitisation seminar organised by the Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy [NORPRA], a Bolgatanga based youth think tank.

The regional minister noted that President Mills has demonstrated his commitment for youth development and inclusion in the governance of the country by appointing a number of youthful ministers of state such as Haruna Iddrisu, Mahama Ayariga, James Agyenim Boateng and the likes. According to Mr. Woyongo, successive governments have realised the need to formulate policies aimed at empowering the youth for effective participation in national development. He therefore commended government for developing the National Youth Policy.

Touching on the theme for the occasion – “The National Youth Policy, a vehicle for empowering the youth for national development”, Mr. Woyongo said the youth are a valuable resource and must be harnessed for national development noting that, the national youth policy will enable government to engage in a meaningful partnership with the youth and other stakeholders to develop appropriate interventions and services for youth empowerment. He said to facilitate the implementation of the policy, the National Youth Council has been transformed into an Authority with much more autonomy to perform its functions effectively.

He disclosed that government in this year’s budget has targeted to train about 5,400 deprived and untrained youth in selected vocational and technical institutes throughout the country. To start with, a total of 156 youth comprising 92 males and 64 females are undergoing training in carpentry and joinery, block laying, electricals, dressmaking, ICT and catering at the Sandema Youth Leadership and Skills Training Institute in the Upper East region.

Meanwhile, the National Youth Employment Programme [NYEP] has also been expanded since the Mills-led government assumed office bringing on board more modules for increased intake of the youth onto the programme. He said of the about 16 modules of the NYEP, 12 are fully operational in the Upper East region with a total beneficiary number of 9,535 people. In addition, the Road Maintenance and Water Sanitation modules which will soon take off in the
Upper East region have recruited 2,524 beneficiaries.

Mr. Woyongo said that a refreshing news to beneficiaries of the NYEP who are on payroll is that when exiting, government has a lump sum package for them which is composed of monthly deductions of GH c5.00 and a government contribution of GH c5.00. This is accumulated for the number of years the beneficiaries serve and then paid to them at the end of their engagement on the NYEP.

The President of NORPRA, Mr. Bismark Ayorogor Adongo in his welcome address observed that policies like politics determine how and when national resources are allocated for specific development purposes. He said given the fact that the youth in northern Ghana are at a disadvantage with regard to employment opportunities coupled with high poverty levels and HIV/AIDS, NORPRA wishes to know the priority areas of the national youth policy, how it will specifically address youth unemployment, streetism, school dropout rates and HIV/AIDS among the youth.

Mr. Ayorogor also noted that a nation with high GDP and a corresponding high incidence of HIV/AIDS will obviously have a threatened sustainable development effort. He commended government for including several youth-friendly interventions in the 2011 budget statement but cautioned that if these remain mere rhetorics without concrete actions, then government’s intentions to empower the country’s youth will be woefully defeated.












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