Resist offers from people yearning for mayhem - President Kufuor

Kumasi, Nov. 30, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor, has urged the youth to resist offers from people whose interest are to cause mayhem, destruction and to serve their own self-centred political ends. He said the youth must never allow themselves to be used to perpetrate any act of violence, before, during or after the December 7, 2008 presidential and parliamentary elections.

Inaugurating a state-of-the-art multi-purpose Youth Centre built at Ahinsan in Kumasi with a Chinese grant of 1.4 million dollars on Sunday, President Kufuor said the voice of the majority of Ghanaians clearly stood for freedom, peace and development.

He, however, noted that there were also few discordant voices yearning for mischief and confusion. The president said it was up to the majority on the side of peace and stability to stand firm and to send a clear message to the "discordant voices" that they would not have their way to reverse the clock of progress.

He said opinion leaders and civil society organizations must play vanguard roles in securing the peace of the nation for the present and future generations.

President Kufuor added that the security agencies must get themselves ready to fulfil their responsibility of ensuring law and order in every corner of the nation. He appealed to all Ghanaians to pray to God to preserve Ghana from "evil and violent men, who plot mischief in our society, and deny them their wishes."

The Centre which would provide the youth with skills training has been named after the late Osei Kwaku, a former Cabinet Minister for Youth and Sports, the brain behind the project. It has facilities for indoor games, confidential counselling services, shower and changing rooms and a leisure grounds for basket ball, badminton and table tennis.

President Kufuor promised that the project would be replicated in all the regions of the country.

He announced that government would soon introduce a National Youth Policy, a National Employment Policy as well as a draft bill to set up a Youth Employment and Enterprise Fund.

Mr Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, Ashanti regional Minister, said the naming of the Centre after the late Minister should inspired the nation's youth to work and serve the nation well, bearing in mind that if they did that they would be remembered one day. The Metropolitan Chief Executive, Madam Patricia Appiagyei, said the project represented the good co-operation between Ghana and China. The Assembly would equip and furnish the centre. 30 Nov. 2008