Gov't outdoors $200m youth programme

Government of Ghana has in collaboration with development partners launched a $200 million National Youth Policy Implementa­tion Plan (NYPIP).

NYPIP is to serve as a guideline to all government ministries, depart­ments and agencies in the implemen­tation of the National Youth Policy launched in August 2010 at Elmina in the Central Region by President John Mahama who was then Vice President under the late Prof Mills-led administration.

It is aimed at, among other things, addressing the numerous challenges facing Ghanaian youth by main- streaming their problems in the developmental agenda of Ghana.

The plan, which is expected to end by 2017, was supposed to have started in 2014 but was delayed until this year due to reasons best known to the government.

The Regional Youth Committees across the country would be respon­sible for the implementation of the plan in their respective regions and report to the National Youth Authori­ty through the National Oversight Committee.

Speaking at the launch held at the headquarters of the National Youth Authority (NYA) on Thursday in Accra, acting National Coordinator of NYA, Ras Mubarak, described NYPIP as a calculated and pragmatic response to the challenges facing the youth in the country.

According to him, "It seeks to reverse what has become an unhealthy trend, and an undesirable societal ill that can only retard the progressive nature of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) govern­ment which has showed greater com­mitment to youth development."

He disclosed that there are the­matic areas of the NYPIP, which include "human development and technology, economic empowerment, youth participation, governance and leadership, culture sports and nation­al orientation."

He posited that all government ministries have an active role to play in fully implementing the policy.

"And as such their involvement commits youth groups, NGOs and main streams local and international agencies to making themselves avail­able in the pursuit of making Ghana a less socially exclusive place for the youth," Mr Mubarak added.

The NYPIP has, therefore, been cultivated so as to ensure that timelines are adhered to, and targets are met he stated; and claimed that success governments have failed to come with implementation plans for the youth policies.

The Minister of Youth and Sports Mahama Ayariga, in an overview the NYPIP stated that the plan was developed through consultative processes that involved all stakeholders at the national levels.

He said the plan sets out pro­grammes that are of multi-sartorial approach, and added that its action plan needs concerted efforts from stakeholders.

The Minister of State at the Presidency in-Charge of Private-Public Sector Development, Abdul-Rashi Hassan Pelpuo, who officially launched the programme on behalf President Mahama disclosed that t plan would lead to the economic empowerment of Ghanaian youth.

He said the employment and health of the youth would be given the necessary political support under the policy, urging financial institu­tions to support the youth to enable them to become successful future business leaders.