The National Youth Authority in partnership with the Office of the Chief Imam has launched the Youth month celebrations to spotlight activities aimed at harnessing the collective energies of the target group.
The development comes on the back of the Authority formally outdooring the programme of activities for the celebration which would take place at a various locations in the country.
Speaking at launch which was held at the premises of the National Mosque in Kanda, Accra ,the Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare Addo intimated that the youth of Ghana are a very critical section of the country whose energies and skills must be fully harnessed for national development.
He added that it was a deliberate attempt by the Ministry and the National Youth Authority to partner with the Office of the National Chief Imam to use Zongo focused issues for this year’s celebrations which have the programmes shared across the country.
“The youth of Ghana are a very important part of our dear country whose skills and energies must be positively harnessed to push Ghana to its sustained growth among its peers.
The vision of the John Mahama-led government is to empower the youth who make up to 60% of our population, through very creative and innovative policies like National Apprenticeship programme, the upgrade of the National Service Scheme into an Authority with enhanced powers to push our young graduates to achieve their fullest potentials.
The government is deliberate in partnering with the Office of Chief Imam to sensitize the youth in the Zongo communities on the negative effects of drug abuse and social vices that limits their aspirations and goals as the thematic focus for this year’s celebrations.
There are a lot of events lined up all across the country in the month of August- Youth Month- starting from a nationwide clean up exercise on Saturday, August 2 under the auspices of the Ministry and it’s agencies as well as the official celebration of National Youth Day which is fixed for August 12th ok the campus of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi and as such we are calling on all Youth in Ghana to join us there if possible and partake actively in all programmes lined up for the month.”
Also, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority, Osman Abdulai Ayariga served notice that his entity is working to empower the Youth through skills development, entrepreneurship training and mentorship in preparation to set them up to contribute meaningfully to the forward march of Ghana.
“This year, the National Youth month would be celebrated in its own unique way through a plethora of events targeted at highlighting the challenges affecting the group and holding them back from taking their rightful place on the national stage.
As my Minister said, under the current Mahama-led government sees the youth not just as a population demography but important actors in achieving the huge vision and aspirations the nation’s leadership are rolling out in the coming months as a launchpad to sustainable development in our country.
To the Zongo youth, we want to educate you on the dangers of some of the issues creeping up in our communities in terms of drug abuse, juvenile delinquency, streetism and the like.
There is a lot of potential in those communities we are focusing on for the thematic preparations of this year’s celebrations which is evident when (George Opare Addo) touched on the plans afoot by the government to recruit more Islamic teachers predominantly in the Zongos to teach and impact the various education units to entrench the values and principles of Islam in such areas as part of state support apart from getting the benefits of other programmes under the Ministry.”
Personal Assistant to the National Chief Imam, Dr Mohammed Marzuq praised the government for identifying the Office as a strategic partner for the Youth month celebrations.
“The world over youth are a very important demography of any country that is focused on fostering economic and social development across board.
The official target group of youth by UN standards is – 15 to 24, that is a critical backbone to the evolution of societies and more resources both financial and social must be garnered by the state and its development partners to flesh out the fullest potentials of our sons and daughters whilst shepherding them away from the pitfalls of their youthful exuberance.
The Office stands ready to put its social capital and resources at the disposal of government on the journey to mould the characters and aspirations of the youth who are tomorrow s leaders in waiting.”
The Youth month celebrations would be marked with a series of carefully curated events across the nation including:
° Youth Dialogue with Religious Groupings.
° Nation wide Clean up exercise.
° National Youth Conference at KNUST .
° National Youth Festival.
° Youth Sports Festival .
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Story by Sika Togoh|univers.ug.edu.gh
