A look at youth development in Ghana
Mince no words, a world where more than half of its population is under 35 years, should think seriously about how to give a platform for the youth to be part of the decision making process.
This vital decision, which eluded the world for a very long time was given birth when in 1999 the UN General Assembly endorsed a recommendation that, every August 12 should be commemorated as International Youth Day (IYD).
The motive behind the IYD is to raise awareness on issues affecting young people around the world while celebrating their values and achievements.
Mr Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary- General was right in saying: “Young people should be at the forefront of global change and innovation. Empowered, they can be key agents for development and peace. If, however, they are left on society’s margins, all of us will be impoverished. Let us ensure that all young people have every opportunity to participate fully in the lives of their societies.”
The IYD was first celebrated in 2000. This forms part of the UN’s wider World Programme of Action for Youth, an initiative that aims at promoting the wellbeing and livelihood of young people.
On Monday, August 12, the day was marked across the world on the theme: “Youth Migration,’ which is an important aspect in the life of young people around the world.
In 2010, there was an estimated 27 million young migrants throughout the world constituting about 30 per cent of international migrants.
Some of them migrated to find new opportunities while others were forced to flee from poverty or war.
In Ghana, not much was done on this day as compared to other countries as many young people did not even know about the day and its significance.
According to the 2010 population and housing census, Ghana has a youthful population with close to 75 per cent below 35 years.
This population forms the greater proportion of our countries working force and so neglecting the potential and the contribution of the youth will have serious consequences on development.
In her foreword for the national youth policy, the then Minister of Youth and Sports, Madam Akua Sena Dansua, wrote: “The youth all over the world have been acknowledge as an important human resource with the potential to contribute significantly to national development and therefore must be accorded such recognition and be involved in national development by government and other stakeholders.”
President John Dramani Mahama also had this to say about the potential of the youth: “Our young men and women can each in their own way, become active partners in the creation of a better nation.
“These therefore suggest that government knows and recognises the potential of the youth towards national development.
Today, young people in Ghana and the rest of the world are confronted with pressing developmental challenges.
Among these pressing problems particularly among the Ghanaian youth include the wide spread generational gap making it difficult for them to be understood by the older generation for youth development issues to be addressed collectively.
The youth lack quality training leading to high level of graduate unemployment, which most employers blame on the low level of employable skills in graduates.
Vulnerable working conditions, marginalisation from decision making processes, which make it difficult for the voices of the youth to be heard and consulted on decisions that affects their development is also a dilemma.
In the end, it is not only these young people and their families that suffer, but the wider community and the country as a whole leading to unaddressed challenges that affects growth and development.
In our wider social environment, these setbacks are having serious consequences on everybody- teenage pregnancy, armed robbery, drug trafficking and various youth related crimes.
We cannot as a nation hope for a better Ghana and future if we do not commit quality time and resources towards youth development.
There are virtually no better platforms, models and initiatives that really address the many challenges the youth in Ghana are confronted with.
There is the national youth policy, which lacks commitment from stakeholders for awareness creation and implementation.
Ghana has also ratified the African Youth Charter and not much is known about its purpose and intended action.
The World Youth Report has also been launched and not much is known about what it seeks to achieve and attempts by successive governments to put in place the National Youth Parliament had also failed.
It appears that various governments and organisations come out with youth initiatives only when they seek to score political points and make name for themselves. In fact they only pay lip service to an important issue like youth development.
Ban Ki-Moon, the UN Secretary-General had warned: “Failing to invest in our youth is a false economy. Investments in young people will pay great dividends in a better future for all.”
There is therefore the need for stakeholders within the youth development agenda to adopt proactive and pragmatic approach towards youth development.
One of such approach is for the country to have a dedicated Youth Ministry responsible for youth development. It an undeniable and plain fact that, the Youth and Sports Ministry focuses attention and resources on sports activities and neglect youth development.
Partnerships among youth development actors like the government, the private sector, civil society, academia, international bodies, philanthropists and the media can help increase opportunities for success by leveraging comparative advantages, resources and shared interests.
I believe that, the most appropriate approach to addressing youth development issues by any stakeholder will be the formation of a strong partnership with the young people themselves, their leaders and groups. This will make the youth an integral part at all meetings, initiatives and decisions that are targeted at their own development.
This is a tried, tested and proven approach. This will help close the generational gap, address the misconception about young people, develop better curricular that offers quality education, inform job creation actions and offer better employment for the youth.
All these actions do not necessary call for funds but rather the will and decision to do what we all know is right to do for our youth.
As has rightly been said by Ban Ki-moon; “to unleash the potential of the young people, we need to partner with them”.
By Hafsa Obeng
Source: GNA