Youth employment and development: CPP guarantees

It is possible. It is possible to realize our golden future if we negotiate that golden tomorrow today. Everything that happens is a cause for an effect or an effect of a cause. There is a price for all things. The current state of Ghana, vis a vis youth employment and development was negotiated yesterday through our political choices. The political equation we negotiate is a package very much inclusive of our economic development.

The current economic state is not by default. It is part of the political package we have been negotiating for over the years. We must all take responsibility for it. Ignorance is no excuse. Neither can we be emotional about it. It is time to take full responsibility for the choices we make as a nation. We can not be doing things in same ways and expect different results. We must change our political choices. Our current Republic, the fourth in our national history is over twenty two years. Politically, it has been fairly stable.

We have had the opportunity to evaluate, maintain or change national policies through political party election every four years. Political ideology and orientation subsequently creates policy and programs of political parties. Policy and programs then give economic direction to a country. Economic direction through content and effective implementation accounts for a nation's state of economic affairs at any given time.

We must uphold culture and systemic order. Structure and systems of culture give progress to society. We have been under the cultural governance system and structure of 'Aki' and 'Porpor', the structural adjustment parties, SAP, NDC and NPP for all the twenty two years of the Fourth Republic. We have seen NDC and NPP delivery. Their modus operandi is clear. Their economic effect on us is glaring. The simple but monumental question is ARE WE SATISFIED ECONOMICALLY? If no, it is simply time to change. We must vote CPP in 2016, whose development program and projects from independence to 1966 virtually sustains the country till date.

All our able bodied jobless youth are supposed to be on the farms and in the factories, just as happened in the 50's and 60's under the CPP administration.

They are instead roaming the streets and sleeping at our market places for survival. The reason is simple. All the state farms from Ejura to Pwalungu have been collapsed or sold by NPP and NDC, mostly to their cronies and themselves. Our unemployed graduate youth are equally supposed to be working in our manufacturing industries built by the CPP government. From the matches factory of Birim to the corned beef and electronic ones of Akasonoma fame, all have been mismanaged to rot or sold, largely to cronies with family interests of NDC and NPP functionaries.

Nsawam Cannery for example, was left to rot under President Rawlings. Nana Konadu Rawlings now owns it and it is semi functional! Azumah Nelson Sports Complex houses the National Youth Authority. An edifice for recreation and development of youthful talents is all but a rental grounds for funerals and church services! The Sports Complex is currently such an eye sore, that Azumah Nelson, our greatest boxing hero wants his name off the Sports Complex. The complex hostel, which used to house national sportsmen and women on national assignment is fully occupied by squatters. Yet, sports is a multi billion dollar industry all around the globe.

The State Construction Company is dead. It was to lead in the construction industry to provide thousands of jobs for our teeming youth. State Housing Corporation is barely existing. With a housing deficit of more than two million units, massive construction in the real estate sector could absorb millions of our unemployed youth, both skilled and unskilled. Instead the NDC administration dishes out Sovereign Guarantee to STX Company, a Korean real estate firm that never produced a single concrete block! What prevents the government from giving sovereign guarantee to State Housing Corporation or to revive the State Construction Company?

Our national transportation system is down. State Transport Company is virtually and pathetically in a comatose. Yet, STC trains most of the drivers behind the inadequate transport companies. Our railway system is pathetic. Only the Nsawam-Accra line in the whole of Ghana is operational with the 60's bunch of coaches. Ethiopia and many other countries are building modern mono rails covering whole cities and countries. Which economy can be strong without an efficient and effective mass transport system? This is the sector to provide employment and movement of goods and services.

These pathetic elaborations above are just a fraction of where our gallant, strong and brilliant youth should be, instead of the hopelessness of the streets. A nation without a productive and hopeful youth has no future. A nation is built by the fresh brilliant ideas and energies of the youth guided by the rich experience of the old. The state of the youth of any nation therefore is a symbolic pointer to its future. The current economic atmosphere is critically bleak for our youth.

This hopelessness is dangerous for the security of Ghana. We must therefore commend our patriotic but undirected youth for exhibiting calculated self control under such extreme pressure of frustration. The youth have largely remained composed. Perhaps, this is the reason why the charismatic churches are overflowing with youthful congregations. The man hours lost to the churches instead of nation building is unimaginable. Hopefully this hopelessness of unemployment and subsequent frustrations is not a dead end. There is a great political alternative.

CPP, which provided the great light to both Ghana and Africa at independence is once again ready. It is the most current viable alternative for ideological orientation, policy and program. CPP, by its ideology, policy and programs builds and creates the right economic system for mass employment. NDC and NPP on the other hand, sells the country to an atmosphere of austerity measures whose critical mass is a resultant mass unemployment. Ghana Telecom, a strategic economic and security national asset, and many others were sold under NPP. ECG is following many state institutions built by the veritable CPP ideology and subsequent policy but have been sold by the NDC.

Sarkodie, our great hip life musician can not take the pathetic and frustrating economic order anymore. In his latest single, he strongly appeals to the youth especially, to be critically circumspect in the political choices we make at elections. This culminates into the resultant economic systems. He clearly advices the youth not to be emotional ethnically nor follow the sexy eyes and physique of candidates as considerations for our voting choices. It is time to be critical in assessment of policies and programs of the various political parties. We must also take a hard look at their track records and performance of their respective governments.

The hollow argument that CPP of old is not the same today belongs to the trash bin. The ideology, orientation, policy, programs and principles that CPP operated with at the independence days are still relatively the same. Operation Feed Yourself policy under former Head of State, Ignatius Kutu Acheampong bears great testimony. This policy was transported from the CPP to General Acheampong's rule. It resulted in the only period till date that Ghana has ever food sufficient with surplus for export. General Acheampong operated only the policy, not the CPP Party nor Government!

In the same argument, Nana Addo Akuffu Addo, Presidential Candidate of NPP is totally different from President Kufuor's person, but with same ideologically Blue Capitalist orientation, policy and program under his belt. He will be as NPP in substance as the UP and NLM, if Ghana ever makes the terrible mistake in voting him to the Flagstaff House!! President Mahama is also the same stock as NDC and President Rawlings. Luckily, his rule and its effect has been as NDC as we are experiencing, though different in his person. He must also be rejected in the 2016 polls.President Mills, who professed vibrationally to a CPP rejuvenation saw a record 14%GDP growth rate, but is interestingly and regrettably no more. May he rest in peace.

CPP is not coming to the negotiating table with empty rhetoric. We have a track record. The greatest indisputable political history of Africa is in our briefcase. Youth of Ghana, CPP is our best bet and guarantee in 2016. Let us boldly and rightly negotiate for our golden future. It is possible to turn the thick cloud of darkness into a great light once again. CPP guarantees this great light of youth employment and development. Forward ever! Nkunim woho mayen!! God bless us!!!

AUTHOR: Yaw Nkunim

Sculptor, Writer, Concept Developer &

CPP Member.