Book on national orientation launched

Accra, Sept. 17, GNA - Transmutation, a book to augment Government's national orientation programme, was on Wednesday launched in Accra with a call on the youth to have a positive mind, discover who they are and the abilities they possess to enable them to become independent.

The 95-page book, Transmutation, refers to change and states reasons people act the way they do and also shows the attitudinal road map to sustainable success and the need for national orientation based on its five pillars.

These are: Proud to be a Ghanaian; Patriotism and Spirit of Ghana First, Positive and "Can do it" attitude; High Productivity and Accountability and Dedication and Discipline.

The book was written by Mr. Jonathan Osei Owusu Reviewing and launching the book, Nana Akomea, Minister, Manpower, Youth and Employment, encouraged the youth to get copies of the book and recommend it to their friends saying the book had what it took put the youth on the road to success.

"Knowing yourself, becoming a master of your own and being part of a universal order was a sure way of getting to the top," he said, adding that going overboard or being overambitious was also not the right thing to do.

According to him the book spelt out what needed to be done to have a positive mind and behavioural change noting that the value one placed on himself called for the price at which he would be bought. The Minister announced that the draft bill on the National Youth Policy had been finalised and would but put before cabinet and expressed the hope that it would be passed by parliament by the end of the year. He also noted that a Youth Development Fund would be made possible to assist the youth to start their businesses saying the future of the youth would become brighter than it used to be years back. Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, Minister of Harbours and Railways, paid glowing tribute to the author for his determination to effect change in the Ghanaian youth and urged the youth to move away from the behaviour of accepting everything they were told to a culture of analysing issues and asking questions. Life was not a bed of roses and only the tough would survive, the author said and urged the youth to stay away from drugs and not cut corners to get to the top. Mr Owusu said getting to the top was fraught with difficulties and dealing with them opened more doors for better opportunities. "What you feed your mind with is what you become," he contended, and urged the youth to vote for a candidate who "thinks big and can turn the nation's misfortunes into fortunes". Mr Abeiku Dickson of the Ministry of Information and National Orientation recommended the book to the youth saying it fell in line with the national orientation agenda of the ministry and called for attitudinal change among the youth.