NPP: Gov’t commitment to youth dev’t "weak"

The main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has accused the Government of having a weak commitment to youth development.

The criticism follows Thursday’s launch, by Government, of the national youth policy implementation plan (NYPIP).

In a statement issued by the NPP, the party said: “Reports indicate funding of 200 million dollars for the plan even though this figure is not in the 2015 budget statement presented to parliament by the finance minister.

Below is the rest of the statement:

“We find the government’s commitment and focus in youth development as weak. Since 2008, there has been in existence a national youth policy, a national youth policy implementation plan, a national employment policy and a national employment policy implementation plan.

“These policies were finalised after extensive stakeholder engagements by the then Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment.

"The political parties were fully involved in these stakeholder consultations and engagements. In drawing up the youth policy and the implementation plan, the NDC had a full team led by then deputy Youth Organiser, Mr. Kofi Adams, in the deliberations. These finalised plans were approved by Cabinet in December 2008.

“The NDC government, after assuming power in January 2009, totally ignored this approved policies. Indeed, the then head of the National Youth Council, Mr. Sekou Nkrumah, publicly lambasted the NDC government for not implementing the very well thought youth policy and implementation plan.

“The NDC chose to launch another youth policy in August 2010, almost two years after assuming power. This policy was launched at Elimina by then Vice President, John Mahama. It has taken almost five since then to launch an implementation plan for their own youth policy.

“The neglect of the existing plan in 2009, the fashioning out of a new policy almost two years later in August 2010, and the development of an implementation plan four and half years later, clearly indicates the NDC government’s poor record with regards to matters of youth development and employment.

“The youth of this country have been severely short-changed by the NDC government. The increasing despondency of the youth today is a clear testimony of their neglect by the NDC government.

"A look at the content which we will be doing soon, will show further that the NDC does not have the interest of the youth at heart."

…Signed… Sammy Awuku (National Youth Organizer)