Wealth And Health Beyond The Action Year

With the World Bank predicting Ghana to post record high

economic performance in 2011, the presidential declaration of an action should

not be taken with a pinch of salt. As we commercially harness natural resources

and invest heavily in infrastructure, we are making headway in practically

achieving middle-income country status underpinned by massive industrialization.

With all these sectors offering very lucrative avenues for

economic development, we have demonstrated our determination to the eradication

of poverty, and our ability and willingness to work with our development

partners and national stakeholders to achieve the goals of the millennium

declaration.

Fellow Ghanaians, as we appreciate the efforts of our

government, allow me to sound a very cautious note. This ACTION YEAR

consequently comes along with significant challenges we ought not to lose sight

of. Indeed the risk of our development gains being lost due to such issues is

not negligible.

As we venture into industrialization, let us all have the

issues of sustainability at heart. As we cut down trees to put up houses and

other vital infrastructure, what is our commitment to replanting them? Shall we

be indifferent of arboreal life? At the Jubilee Oil Fields, how concerned are

we about biodiversity or sustainable fishing practices of our fisher folk?

Am I being to

scientific?, let’s see sociology; don’t we foresee a reinvigorated era of

migration into the country, across the country, and even labor migration in

between various sectors of the economy. How proactive are we about these effects

on our way of life. As for issues of child labour, child prostitution, HIV/AIDS,

crime and the likes of social vices I need not mention.

The challenges of the industrialization are wide, diverse and

global and the whole world would want to see how we face them. To the youth of

Ghana, let us empower ourselves with knowledge and skill to lobby our leaders

to put in place the right policies, processes and adequate resources to ensure

that most attention is paid to us who have a lifetime to live beyond the action

year. Let us share knowledge among ourselves, with support from our faculty and

civil society, let us identify alternatives we can recommend to government or

better still, let us engage our positive energies to volunteer and inspire all

and sundry to walk the talk of environmental and social sustainability. Let us

increase our vigilance on child labour, corruption and environmental health.

Real and lasting change starts organically. It happens when

we collectively seek to address an issue. With reviews of historical patterns,

industry trends and international best practices, let us build awareness, create

the vigilance of all and let us move through this action year with tomorrow in

mind.

Let us constructively engage our leaders in the level of OUR

ambition with regard to national and sector planning, monitoring and evaluation

systems and accountability to demonstrate to the whole world that despite our

industrialization, we remain committed to the issues of climate change,

regional corporation, accountability, women, children and all other MDGs while

we safeguard an increasing standard of living for future generations of

Ghanaians and the world at large.

Join our FACEBOOK book page GHANA YOUTH DIALOGUE and meet

several other Ghanaian youth who have tomorrow in mind. Each ordinary one of

has the ability to do extraordinary things, and this does not come from the

kind of politics that puts us against ourselves and plays on our worst fears,

but with united accord and a voluntary spirit, we can give ourselves a better

future. Arise Ghana Youth, We are all involved.

The author of this article is EMMANUEL KWARM SAMPSON, UNIVERSITY OF GHANA,LEGON,

BSc PSYCHOLOGY. LEVEL 300