Bill on volunteerism to be presented to Parliament

The Ministry of Youth & Sports is in the process of drafting a Bill on volunteering that would soon be presented to Parliament for consideration and approval.

The daft Bill, Kasapafmonline.com understands, is currently at the office of the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General for her input following which it would be sent to Cabinet for consideration and approval.

The Bill when approved into law would among other things regulate the activities of players in the volunteerism business and ensure that the country maximises resources in that avenue.

The sector Minister, Isaac Asiamah, in an exclusive interview with Kasapafonline.com said the need for a law to regulate volunteerism activities have become necessary due to the activities of some unscrupulous players in the business.

“Some people will come into the country with the aim of engaging the youth volunteerism. They will gather people for such activities but surprisingly end up doing some other things that goes against our laws. The Bill when approved will ensure that sanity prevails in the business of volunteerism in the country,” he noted.

Ghana presently does not have a national policy framework on volunteerism and therefore is said to be losing millions of CEDI’s in that avenue.

In the United Kingdom for instance, over 20million volunteers every year give more than 100 million hours every week. It is estimated that the economic value of their activities in various sectors of their economy is worth in excess of £40billion per year.

This achievement, according to the honourable Youth & Sports Minister who is also the lawmaker for Atwima Mponua, could be replicated in Ghana if the law on volunteerism is passed.

Volunteerism is the willingness and devotion of an individual to spend some hours of his or her free time for community work for free and with the aim of contributing his or her quota to national development.

Volunteerism helps to transform economies. It also helps to build the physical and mental well-being of the youth. It offers work experience and improves access to employment.

Furthermore, it helps to develop a problem solving attitude in the youth and encourages them to commit themselves to nation building.