Wa, July 23, GNA - Mr Cezar Kale, Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, has advised the youth to disassociate themselves from any form of violence be it political, religious, chieftaincy or land dispute and focus on issues of national development.
He said the youth should rather see themselves as agents of change that would champion the course of peace, progress and prosperity wherever they found themselves.
Mr Kale, who said this in a speech read on his behalf at this year's Regional Youth Forum organised by the National Youth Council (NYC) at Wa, on Thursday said for every nation to develop its youth must channel their strength into productive areas.
The forum, which was on the theme: "Building Regional capacity for youth mobilisation and effective coordination in a better Ghana agenda" was aimed at bringing the youth together to build their capacities for a sustainable national development.
Mr Kale, therefore, urged the youth to stay away from hard drugs, illicit sex and other social vices that would impact negatively on their future chosen careers.
He said government would empower the youth by providing them with both employable and entrepreneurial skills training to enable them to contribute positively towards the development of the nation.
He added that government would develop the dynamic pro-youth multi-partisan national youth policy document that would provide a meaningful direction for youth development in the country.
Mr Mumuni Sulemana, Regional Youth Coordinator said the forum would focus on four thematic areas including discussions on NYC draft work plan, institutionalization of Youth Parliament in all second cycle and tertiary institutions in the region.
Again he said it would focus on devising strategies to reactivate the Federation of Youth Associations in Ghana (FEDYAG) to make it more vibrant for it to continue to play its role of coordinating the activities of youth Associations.
Mr Sulemana urged government to strengthen FEDYAG as well as the Youth Leadership and Skill Training Institutions to carry out their mandate of empowering the youth for national development.
He appealed to government to connect the Issa Youth Leadership and Skill Training Institute to the national grid to enhance effective teaching and learning.
The Youth Coordinator noted that when the capacities of the youth were built and well coordinated they would regard negative social vices as challenges rather than potential problems.
He called on opinion leaders, traditional authorities and assembly members to add their voice to help promote youth development in the country.
