Youth and Sports Ministry inaugurates Technical Committee to review National Youth Policy

The Minister for Youth and Sports, Hon. Isaac Kwame Asiamah has inaugurated a 10 - member National Technical Committee for the review of the National Youth Policy to engage the youth and other stakeholders in a meaningful partnership to develop appropriate interventions and services for youth empowerment and development.

The Committee will be chaired by Mr. Kwesi Evans-Nkum, Director for Education and Training, National Youth Authority (NYA) with nine other members; Rev. Frank Lartey Jnr, Director for Research, Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, NYA, Ms. Adjoa Yenyi, representative from UN System - UNFPA, Mr. Alex Bankole William, a representative from the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations and Mr. Emmanuel Papa Assan Guild of Youth Development Practitioners.

The rest are; Mr. Ekow Eshun, Ms. Anita Abonyi, Mr. Solomon Mensah, Mr. Emmanuel Osei and Mr. Samuel Asamoah.

Hon. Isaac Kwame Asiamah in his opening address highlighted on the need to equip the youth with skills to meet the job market in order to contribute significantly to National Development since a greater mass of the country's population falls within the youthful brackets.

He said his outfit through its apex Agency for Youth development, the (NYA), resolved to review the existing National Youth Policy in August 2010 and its accompanying action plan to meet the current global and national trends to reflect the current development needs of the Ghanaian youth.

“This will invariably accelerate the socio-economic development and realize the dream of a Ghana Beyond Aid as espoused by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo,” he said.

Hon. Isaac Kwame Asiamah further announced that Parliament has approved funds for the construction of Youth and Sports Resource Centers of Excellence in all the ten (10) regions of the country. He was hopeful that the Committee in consultation with the National Youth Authority (NYA) will bring to bear their expertise in the discharge of its mandate by engaging the individuals at the grassroots.

Their Terms of Reference include but not limited to:

1. Have stakeholders’ engagements;

2. Carry out evaluation of the existing Youth Policy to identify a gap analysis report,

3. Develop a concept paper for the review and

4. Establish a National Technical Committee for policy implementation.

The Sector Minister finally called on the Committee to take into consideration the real issues affecting the Ghanaian Youth, stressing on the Access to Education, Gender Inequality, Disability Mainstreaming, Unemployment, ICT, Promotion of Youth Entrepreneurship and Access to Health Care especially in the line of Adolescent Reproductive Health and Rights.

The Chairman of the Committee Mr. Kwesi Evans Nkum in his acceptance remarks said it was with great honor the Committee accepts the responsibility of guiding and spearheading the review of the National Youth Policy launched in 2010. He said the NYP is an important document that guides and shapes the development of young people adding that, the development of the youth remains a priority as the nation strives to ensure it gets all it wants in respect to socio-economic and other aspects of the country.

He noted that every policy has a review cycle and that the 2010 policy was due citing an update on facts and figures as well as incorporating new trends to ensure its dynamism. He iterated the need to fashion out policies to respond to these needs.

Mr. Nkum said the Committee will have a wider and broader consultation at the various levels (local, regional and national) to elicit inputs that will inform the review process as clearly streamlined by the Terms of Reference (TOR). He further lauded the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's vision of a Ghana Beyond Aid agenda adding that to realize the policy the country would need the youth to drive the process with an improved mindset and attitude that helps in their various roles.

Also in attendance was the Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, Hon. Perry Curtis Okudzeto, Chief Executive Officer, NYA, Mr. Emmanuel Asigri and the Technical Advisor Dr. Emmanuel Owusu Ansah.