High level of hopelessness among the youth -CPP

Convention Peoples Party (CPP) activist James Bomfeh has told the dailyEXPRESS that he sees a high level of hopelessness among majority of the country?s youth, and blames this on failure of both past and the present governments to meet their aspirations.

Mr. Bomfeh says until policy makers begin to take youth issues seriously ?this country will continue to remain in the economic quagmire.?

He claimed that countries like Japan, Germany, America and Britain have economies that are doing well because their leadership understands and appreciates the importance of the contributions of the youth to their development agenda.

?In Ghana talk about the revolution that ensured independence in 1957, the Junior Jesus cry etc... how did they come about, it was on the wings of the youths,? he stressed.

Mr. Bomfeh who is getting ready to contest the CPP?s youth organizer position says many African leaders, immediately after coming to power, rubbish the contributions of the youth by undermining the process that should cultivate and harness their best potential into meaningful ventures.

According to him attempts have been made in the past, especially in 1998 for government to have a workable document towards the advancement of the country?s youth but nothing has happened.

He told the dailyEXPRESS that the Kufuor administration, like those in the past, has woefully failed to appreciate and understand the dynamics of the contributions of the youth to the growth of the country?s economy.

?The rate of graduate unemployment is a classical example. Don?t you find your colleagues from other tertiary institutions talking about the problems they face every day??

He added that ?these are resources are trained with the tax payers money yet are allowed to go waste, unnoticed.?

He wondered how many Ghanaian youth are ready to lay down their lives to the country, adding that ?less than one percent is ready to do that. Is that not a quagmire??

James Bomfeh insists that the CPP is the only viable party that recognizes the importance of the contributions of the youth to the country?s struggle.

According to him one of the fundamental principles of Nkrumah was his ability to tap into the expertise of the country?s youth.

Eventhough he admitted that there have been some failures on the part of the CPP leadership to attract the youth; Mr. Bomfeh says the situation has changed.

?We are talking to the constituencies that carry the youth, we are talking to churches, and people who matter when it comes to the youth and, I can tell you things are happening,? he said. .

Mr. Bomfeh said the neglect of key components of the country?s development agenda-women and the youth is a major draw back to Ghana?s development.

The CPP, he said, will make sure that such things are reversed when they take power because it is the only alternative to the numerous failures of the present government.