New National Youth Council bill soon

Papa Owusu-Ankomah, Minister of Youth and Sports, has said his ministry is in the process of enacting a National Youth Council (NYC) Bill to replace National Revolutionary Council (NRC) decree 241 (1974).

The new bill is intended to restructure the NYC as a facilitator and to make youth empowerment its priority.

The Minister was interacting with representatives of the Committee of Youth Associations (COYA) in Accra on Wednesday as part his familiarization meetings.

As a prelude to this meeting, the Ministers last month met with members of the NYC at the Kaneshie Sports Complex, the Winneba Sports College and the National Sports Council.

Papa Ankomah said government through the National Youth Council (NYC) intend to play a paramount role as prime mover of the youth in terms of facilitation and coordination.

He said it is in this regard that the NYC is being encouraged to be more proactive in its approach to win the confidence of youth groups and organisations adding "that it is the only way through which such organisations would see the NYC as a collaborator rather than a competitor".

The minister decried the way in which adults have hijacked leadership of youth organisations and said ways should be found to encourage youth to run their own affairs since at the moment they feel disconnected from the process of decision-making.

He announced that the Youth Empowerment Committee set up by the Vice President to review current youth activities including the youth policy and suggest ways to inject some dynamism into the youth, has submitted its report.

"Government intends to critically study the report which would be referred to all stake holders for comments before submitting it to a more vigorous and extensive debate at the national level," he said.

He urged COYA to strengthen the association at the national level and place considerable emphasis on its activities at the regional and district level to take care of youth at the grassroots who need their activities the most.

"Government is acutely aware that the youth expect the change in government to have a direct reflection on their well being and welfare".

"This is so because we believe young people are the best resources for promoting national development" he said