Wenchi (B/A), July 30, GNA- Mr. Abubakar Saddique Boniface, outgoing Minister of Manpower, Youth and Employment at the weekend reiterated the need for the country to adopt a concerted effort in addressing indiscipline and immoral acts of the youth. He was addressing this year's annual national congress of Brong-Ahafo Students Union (BASU), which was under the theme, "Towards a Progressive Society, The Contribution of the Brong-Ahafo Student" in Wenchi.
The Minister urged the youth to avoid negative acts and to focus on their education since they are the future leaders of the country. Mr. Boniface appealed to them to take advantage of the introduction of the National Youth Employment Programme to improve their livelihood and build better foundations for their careers. "The NYEP is for the Ghanaian youth and not only NPP activists. People read politics into it, but it is not to be politicised. The programme is friendly, whether you are educated or not." he added. The outgoing Minister said a total of 103,000 persons had been engaged in different modules in the programme, out of which 10,922 of them were engaged in Brong-Ahafo.
He said arrangements were being made to further engage about 500 to 600 youth for community protection in the region and appealed to students to apply for vacation jobs when at home. Mr. Boniface appealed to the Students Union to link up with identifiable NGOs to educate peer groups on issues such as HIV/AIDS and indiscipline and to explain government policies to the Ghanaian public, especially people in the rural areas.
Hajia Bintu Farizana, District Chief Executive for Wenchi, appealed to the youth to refrain from negative environmental practices and urged the chiefs and people to ensure the amicable resolution of chieftaincy disputes in Wenchi.
Nana Rex Owusu Ansah Kokroko, President of the Wenchi Traditional Area and Krontihene, who presided, commended the Union for its excellent work and urged the students to continue moulding the youth to be of good service for the region and the country. He pledged his total support to them in their quest to promote quality education in Brong-Ahafo.
The President of the Brong-Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, Okatakyie Agyemang Kudom IV in a speech read on his behalf entreated the union to run vacation classes for senior secondary school students especially in mathematics, Science and English. He urged them to intensify the education of the re-denomination of the cedi and to woo non-citiz ens of the region to contribute towards the development of the area.
Ms. Ajoa Yeboah-Afari, Editor of the Ghanaian Times, who was the guest speaker, admonished the people to promote the region and suggested the mounting of a giant billboard at Bechem Junction to welcome visitors to the region. She commended the Union for forging unity between the two distinct groups, the Bonos and the Ahafos.
She expressed her concern about the high number of school drop outs especially among girls and called on parents to ensure that their daughters were educated for their economic empowerment.
Ms. Yeboah-Afari emphasized the need for young people to acquire training in ICT and help identify other problems in their communities, adding that, they should "endeavour to use the benefit of high education to solve not only family problems but also community problems". Mr. Anane-Agyei, outgoing National President of the Union, said his tenure saw the organization of several activities such as clean-up exercises in Sunyani, donation to an orphanage home in Yawhima and educating pupils and students of some basic and second cycle schools on the re-denomination of the cedi.
He urged people in the region to recognize their potential and not to look down on themselves and appealed to the district assemblies to support the union's activities. An eight-member new executive with Mr. Robert Koomson as President was sworn into office.
