THE Ghana United Nations Students and Youth Association (GUNSA) has recommended that the proposed national reconciliation commission should not be selective in terms of political regimes but must cover all past governments since independence.
The association also cautioned that “the commission should not be used for witch-hunting or fault finding and must be devoid of partisan affliction and manipulation to ensure impartial and independent outcomes”.
This was contained in a communiqu? read to the press at a news conference in Tamale at the weekend after the 38th GUNSA Annual Congress held at the School of Hygiene by the out-going national president of the association, Mr Ebenezer Malcolm.
The one-week congress was themed, “ Strengthening Democracy in Ghana-The Role of the Youth”.
The association commended government’s efforts in setting up the reconciliation commission, since it could help heal the wounds of people affected by the social, economic and political injuries of past regimes.
It condemned the practice by “some selfish politicians who use the youth in campaigns and elections to achieve their political aims and objectives”.
It called for the involvement of the youth in democratic processes by allowing them to contest political positions, adding that civic and political rights should be introduced in the educational curriculum of schools and colleges.
The association appealed to government to reconsider its decision to privatise some utility companies such as the Ghana Water Company Limited, the Volta River Authority and the Electricity Company of Ghana.
According to the association, the privatisation of these companies would escalate the current economic situation, thereby worsening the conditions of the people.
“We call for accuracy, transparency and, above all, adherence to the rule of law to ensure the realisation of the policy of zero tolerance for corruption as espoused by the government,” the association stated.
It also called for adequate remuneration and incentives for civil and public servants to eliminate corruption in the system, stressing that stringent legal action should be taken against any government official who would fall victim to the policy.
An eight-member national executive was elected at the end of the conference to handle the affairs of the association. Some of them are Alfred Thompson, President; Kwesi Ofori-Atta, First National Vice-President, and Ms Mara Togobo, General Secretary.
