The Challenge For Ghana Youth - CPP

Ghana , our beloved country is today faced with similar issues to that faced by an earliar generation of young Ghanaians in the 1940?s , 50?s and 60?s ? a desire to control their own destiny, a desire to regain their independence and to live in peace. A desire to use that independence to raise their standard of living.

Ghana in the 40?s , 50?s and 60?s yearned for a society in which people would be free from poverty and economic exploitation.

The conditions were similar then as now , with large numbers moving to the cities in search of work, with rising unemployment, with the level of wages falling far behind prices and the cost of living. The general discontent lead to the formation of youth organisations throughout the country, as they saw a few prospering while the vast majority of the people suffered increased hardship.

The youth of the time responded to Dr Kwame Nkrumah?s message that if they have been sleeping before it was ?time to wake up?

Dr Nkrumah?s formation of the Committee on Youth Organisation (CYO) which embodied a number of Ghana Youth Associations galvanised the youth to play their role in the fight for independence.

It was a CYO conference which lead to the formation of the CPP. The youth had been urged by the CPP to think and study hard , to work with sustained effort, to become thinkers of great thoughts and doers of great deeds. The youth of that generation rose to the challenge and were at the forefront of the struggle that won Ghana its independence and the CPP under its Accelerated Development Plan for Education delivered Universal Free Primary Education, an increase in Teacher Training and Technical Training. This benefited millions of ordinary people , including those who are today?s ?great and the good ?.

In 1951 when the CPP assumed leadership in governing the country there were 1,700 primary schools enrolling 226,000 children. By 1965 under the CPP government this had increased to 11,000 schools and 1.5 million pupils. Education from Primary to University level was free.

On the occasion of Dr Nkrunah?s birthday we make that call again to the youth to ?wake up ? to the historic challenge confronting the nation. ?Wake up? to the ?Youth For Nation Building ? agenda of the CPP ?Wake Up? to the ?Youth for future Leadership? agenda of the CPP ? Wake Up ? and embrace the concept of ?African Personality?

?Wake up? and help the CPP deliver for the youth of today a better future. A future with a youth policy based on the principles enshrined in the UN Convention on the rights of the Child, and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child - i.e. subsistence rights, development rights, development rights protection rights and participation rights

Let us rise to the challenge and help build our country together.

International Campaign Coordinating Committee for CPP (IC4) London