Minister launches Youth project

Accra, Sept. 25, GNA - Alhaji Abubakar Saddique Boniface, Minister of Manpower, Youth and Employment, on Monday said the Government would continue to create the right environment for the youth to realize their full potential to contribute to the development of the country. "The youth are a potential force to reckon with if our dreams for sustainable development is to crystallize," Alhaji Boniface said when he launched a youth 'Debate to Action' project in Accra. He called for realistic steps to harness youth potentials through their involvement and participation in project design and implementation.

'Debate to Action' (DTA) is a British Council and World Bank initiated project currently running in Ghana, Nigeria, Sudan, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Kenya. The project aims to train the youth on international and national frameworks for development within the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Growth and Poverty-Reduction Strategy II (GPRS II). The youth, through the project would identify their own roles within the frameworks and learn how to translate the knowledge acquired into effective community development projects. Ghana's DTA project is on a pilot basis for one year and has 40 youths drawn from 20 youth organizations.

The project would be expanded to cover the whole country if successful. Alhaji Boniface said the project was a step in the right direction and was also appropriate to take place at a time when there was a global call to action against poverty. "It is most appropriate that this project is taking place at a time when there is a global call to action against poverty, where young people have been identified as a driving force and partners in poverty reduction and national development."

The Minister said youth participation in the national MDG processes was vital and that the benefits would not be for only the youth but also for the entire nation. "Youth employment through education and consciousness will strengthen relationships between individuals, civil society, NGOs and governments, leading to an integrated approach to achieving the MDGs, he said. Alhaji Boniface said it was important that the youth in Ghana got themselves involved with change and peace processes to ensure harmonized and peaceful environment for development.

He mentioned the case of poverty in the Central and the three Northern Regions, saying that the youth could have acted as agents of change to ensure that development took place. He also advised the youth to abstain from sex and if they found themselves in such acts, they should ensure that they were protected. Mr Daniel Boakye, an Economist with the World Bank, said the population of the youth would reach its peak by the year 2010. He said they were likely to reach more than 50 per cent of Ghana's population by that time and, therefore, it was necessary to involve them in development processes to achieve the required growth rate in development.

Mr James Annan, a DTA Mentor, who works with the Barclays Bank, said he was sent to Yeji to work from the age of six years to 13 years. He said this had a negative impact on him and that even though a stroke of opportunity made him what he was now, he did not think children should be abused, forced into labour or denied education in any way. He said while efforts were made to ensure that the youth acquired education, it was also necessary for the youth to sacrifice a little effort to give back to their communities.

Accra, Sept. 25, GNA - Alhaji Abubakar Saddique Boniface, Minister of Manpower, Youth and Employment, on Monday said the Government would continue to create the right environment for the youth to realize their full potential to contribute to the development of the country. "The youth are a potential force to reckon with if our dreams for sustainable development is to crystallize," Alhaji Boniface said when he launched a youth 'Debate to Action' project in Accra. He called for realistic steps to harness youth potentials through their involvement and participation in project design and implementation.

'Debate to Action' (DTA) is a British Council and World Bank initiated project currently running in Ghana, Nigeria, Sudan, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Kenya. The project aims to train the youth on international and national frameworks for development within the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Growth and Poverty-Reduction Strategy II (GPRS II). The youth, through the project would identify their own roles within the frameworks and learn how to translate the knowledge acquired into effective community development projects. Ghana's DTA project is on a pilot basis for one year and has 40 youths drawn from 20 youth organizations.

The project would be expanded to cover the whole country if successful. Alhaji Boniface said the project was a step in the right direction and was also appropriate to take place at a time when there was a global call to action against poverty. "It is most appropriate that this project is taking place at a time when there is a global call to action against poverty, where young people have been identified as a driving force and partners in poverty reduction and national development."

The Minister said youth participation in the national MDG processes was vital and that the benefits would not be for only the youth but also for the entire nation. "Youth employment through education and consciousness will strengthen relationships between individuals, civil society, NGOs and governments, leading to an integrated approach to achieving the MDGs, he said. Alhaji Boniface said it was important that the youth in Ghana got themselves involved with change and peace processes to ensure harmonized and peaceful environment for development.

He mentioned the case of poverty in the Central and the three Northern Regions, saying that the youth could have acted as agents of change to ensure that development took place. He also advised the youth to abstain from sex and if they found themselves in such acts, they should ensure that they were protected. Mr Daniel Boakye, an Economist with the World Bank, said the population of the youth would reach its peak by the year 2010. He said they were likely to reach more than 50 per cent of Ghana's population by that time and, therefore, it was necessary to involve them in development processes to achieve the required growth rate in development.

Mr James Annan, a DTA Mentor, who works with the Barclays Bank, said he was sent to Yeji to work from the age of six years to 13 years. He said this had a negative impact on him and that even though a stroke of opportunity made him what he was now, he did not think children should be abused, forced into labour or denied education in any way. He said while efforts were made to ensure that the youth acquired education, it was also necessary for the youth to sacrifice a little effort to give back to their communities.