Gerontocratic ostriches must back off politics; pave way for ‘fresh blood’ – Prof Gyampo to old serving politicians

Professor Ransford Gyampo has called on politicians who are advanced in years to give way for the youth to take over leadership in the country while they serve as mentors or council for the ‘fresh bloods’.

He indicated that the notion where the youth are being asked to sit on the sidelines and observe or serve as footsoldiers must be put to a stop.

“If we talk about youth participation in governance; today if we talk about youth taking keen interest in the upcoming parliamentary primaries of political parties, we are covertly told that the youth must take a long time to learn. Is this not bogus procrastinating excuse that ignores the exigencies of the time? This fact can only be doubted by the gerontocratic ostriches who insist on perpetuating adultism on a youthful population.”

The Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana therefore called on political parties to encourage the youth into taking up parliamentary positions and representing their constituents.

Adding that some obstacles such as the high filling fees, high cost of campaign have been a major reason youth participation is low as far as politics is concerned; reason for the parties to do the needful and breach such dents and make space for the younger ones.

“We call on political parties to encourage young people to contest their upcoming parliamentary primaries by rethinking the open and surreptitious obstacles including high filling fees, high cost of campaigning accentuated by the almost institutionalized corrupt norm of bribing party delegates and the bogusly disingenuous refrain of asking the youth to bid their time by removing all visible and invisible obstacles that could frustrate the youth and putting in place mentorship interventions that allow experienced party leaders and past parliamentarians to mentor and build the confidence of the young parliamentary hopefuls.”

Speaking at a press conference organised by the Youth Bridge Foundation Institute, Prof Gyampo urged the youth who may be timid, afraid or frustrated by political parties to come out and contest the parliamentary primaries as independent candidates.

“Political parties that would frustrate the quest for youth selection to parliament must be taught painful lessons.

We urge the youth who are frustrated by their political parties to dare to contest the parliamentary elections as independent candidates. We call on the youth who are interested to be elected to parliament, but are demoralized by the hurdles and frustrations from the political parties to commence their activism and door to door campaign in the bid to test their acceptance and popularity”, he said.

Additionally, he applauded some long serving parliamentarians who are giving way for the young people to contest the primaries in the upcoming elections.

“Serving the constituency can be enriched when those who have done it for several years and are tired, give way for fresh blood and operate behind the scenes as councelors and advisor. Honourable Alban Bagbin, Inusah Fuseini, Clement Humado, Richard Quashigar and Fiifi Kwetey and all those old guards who are yet to publicly indicate their intentions not to seek re-elections to parliament must be saluted”.