Multiparty democracy is about expressing alternative opinions - Haruna

Accra, Nov. 13, GNA - Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Communications, on Friday advised Ghanaians not to engage in destructive politics since multiparty democracy was just about expressing alternative opinions. He noted that regardless of which political party one belonged to, issues like unemployment and poverty did not need to be discussed along NDC or NPP lines, stressing that Ghanaians should not destroy themselves because of "petty partisanship."

Mr Iddrisu said this at the maiden youth conference dubbed: "Transformational Leadership Conference" on the theme: "The Emerging Youth Leadership in the 21st Century."

"Sometimes professional competencies are even looked down upon because of petty partisanship," he said, explaining that "petty partisanship" was the kind of politics where politicians engaged in destructive politics at the expense of the nation.

Mr Iddrisu admitted that Ghana had a long way to go in terms of practicing healthy multiparty democracy and advised the youth not to focus on too much politics but rather on developing their career.

"Let us not engage in politics to the detriment of our own career development," he said, adding that politics was a call to public good. The Minister advised the youth to let sincerity and honesty be the guiding principles to ensure their future success and a good future for the nation.

Commenting on the unemployment situation in Ghana, Mr Iddrisu said President John Evans Atta Mills had created a special cabinet session on job creation to deal with the unemployment situation and expressed the hope that government would soon come out with a strategy to deal with unemployment issues.

Mr Rashid Pelpuo, Minister of Youth and Sports, sharing his life experience, said the youth stage in life was a transformational one and it was important that the youth organized themselves and challenged the system.

He announced that a youth policy would be in place by the end of the year.

Mr Prince Kofi Amoabeng, Chief Executive Officer of UT Financial Services, who chaired the programme, expressed worry about our attitude towards time and time consciousness.

He said: "Time is life. Therefore if we waste time it is comparable to partial murder. If time is wasted quality is diminished."

Mr Andy Osei Okrah, President of Young Professionals and Youth Coalition Initiative (YPYC), organizers of the programme, advocated a change in the attitude and mentality of the youth to contribute their quota to the development of the nation.

"Let us all adopt a "can do" spirit to help build our nation," he said, and announced that the programme would be replicated in all the 10 regions.

The organization gave an award to Mr and Mrs Ocran of the Combert Impressions Company Limited for their contribution to youth development and Millicom Ghana Limited, operators of Tigo, for the sponsorship of youth development programmes.