Youth urged to tread social media platforms cautiously

Ghanaian youth have been urged to tread cautiously in the use of social media.

Mr. Samuel Gariba, Ashanti Regional Coordinator of National Youth Authority (NYA), made the call at a ceremony organized to mark this year’s International Day of the Girl Child in Kumasi.

He said they should use the various social media platforms to enrich their lifestyles by looking for opportunities in training, education, and other useful information, instead of using them for fraudulent and other negative activities.

It was jointly organized by the Defence for Children International (DCI) Ghana and Rights and Responsibilities Initiative Ghana (RRIG), under the theme “My voice, our equal future”.

Mr Gariba indicated that whereas some companies and individuals were now generating sales and wealth from social media, some youth have nowadays, resorted to using the internet to create memories that could ruin their future.

He said some adolescent girls have allowed themselves to be used as baits by internet fraudsters to dupe people.

Mr Gariba pointed out that the internet never forgets, and it was important for girls involved in such fraudulent activities to desist from such acts since they could leave negative digital footprints which could be disastrous for their future.

Touching on innovation and diversification, he urged the youth to venture into income-generating businesses that could thrive and make them economically independent.

He said, “You should also have multiple business ideas irrespective of their start-up capitals”, he said.

Madam Abba Oppong, Executive Director of RRIG, giving relevance to the celebration which recognized rights and challenges girls faced around the world, reiterated the need for all to protect girls to become useful in the society.

She explained that girls must continue enjoying the right to education, healthy life, not only during critical formative years but also as they matured to become women.