Mrs Lucille Hewlett Annan (Esq), the Secretary of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has called on students, hairdressers, and other vocational skills apprentices in the North East Region to remain committed in their quest to acquire employable skills.
She said the acquisition of those skills was fundamental to the fight against the activities of violent extremists who used fancy materials to lure the youth because of their vulnerability and financial dependency.
“When you are gainfully employed, it will position you to face the challenges that life presents, and this, in the long run, is essential to the fight against violent extremism as the tendency to be lured with materials is somewhat reduced,” she added.
The Secretary of the Commission said this when she addressed students of the Langbinsi Senior High School (SHS) and some sections of Hairdressers and Beauticians at Nalerigu in the East Mamprusi Municipality as part of her three-day working visit to the region.
She underscored the need for parents to prioritise education and acquisition of other technical skills of their children to enable them to be guided and contribute meaningfully to the fight against violent extremism.
Her visit to the region formed part of the Preventing and Containing Violent Extremism (PCVE) project, with funding support from the European Union (EU) and being implemented by the NCCE across eight border regions of the country.
The regions include the Upper East, Upper West, North East, Northern, Savannah, Bono, Bono East, and the Oti Regions.
It aimed at creating awareness about violent extremism and facilitating activities to engender among the citizens of Ghana, security consciousness, social inclusiveness, community cohesion, and situational awareness.
Mr Wilberforce Zangina, the North East Regional Director of the NCCE, noted that though the country was going through some economic challenges that made it difficult for the youth to secure jobs, it was important that the youth guided themselves against violent acts.
According to him, any form of violence was counterproductive to peace and of the development of the country, and the youth, who were the future leaders the country, must do well not to create an atmosphere that would mar the peace the country was enjoying.
That, he said, would create a conducive environment for investors to invest in businesses in the country, which would open job opportunities to the unemployed youth.
GNA