Mr Haruna Mohammed, the National Deputy General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has received the Ghana Youth Manifesto for the 2024 general election and beyond.
Mr Solomon Okai, a Member of the Ghana Youth Manifesto Coalition and the Programmes Officer of the Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA) presented a copy of the Manifesto to the NPP National Deputy General Secretary at the Party’s Headquarters in Accra.
The presentation of the Manifesto copied to the NPP national leadership was to enable the Party to consider some key issues, which are affecting Ghanaian Youth for incorporation in its Manifesto for the 2024 general election.
The Manifesto is a highlight of a collaborative effort by diverse youth organisations, groups, networks, and associations of the country to articulate a youth focused development vision.
The Ghana Youth Manifesto represents the aspirations, needs, and concerns of young Ghanaians and outlines a roadmap for achieving a more inclusive, equitable, and prosperous nation.
Mr Okai said the Ghana Youth Manifesto for 2024 election general election and beyond report assessed the views of over 3,500 young people who participated in a survey in All the 16 regions of Ghana to share their views on key national and youth development issues.
He said it captured their perspectives and priorities for the next government, including its first 100 days in power post the 2024 general elections.
He reiterated that it also covered six other key areas of interest to young people, including: Education, Employment, Health and Sexual Reproductive Rights, Good Governance, Youth with Disability, and Youth Peace and Security.
Mr Okai appealed to the NPP to consider incorporating into its manifesto the six major issues highlighted in the Ghana Youth Manifesto for 2024 election.
Mr Haruna Mohammed, receiving the report, lauded members of the Ghana Youth Manifesto for their foresight in coming out with the document of the Ghana Youth Manifesto for the 2024 general election and beyond.
He noted that the Party would take into consideration the key issues highlighted in the report, which were affecting youth.
He said over the past seven years, the NPP-led Government had been delivering on its promises of creating jobs for the youth.
He said the Government created the youth employment policy to help address the situation; adding that, over eight thousand people had been recruited throughout the country.
Touching on sports development, Mr Mohammed said the Government had constructed over 150 astro turfs and other multi-purpose sports complexes nationwide.
He noted that under the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) they were implementing the skills development programme, where the youth were being assigned to master craft men to undergo skills training.
Dr Asiedu Kokro, NPP National Deputy Director of Communications, said there was the need for the nation’s universities to ensure that the programmes they run had correlations with job creation, as part of efforts to address the unemployment issue in the country.
He advised the youth to stay focused, be bold, firm, and urged the youth to engage in activism; stating that activism was part of the democratic dispensation.
“Be vigilant and echo the concerns of the people,” he added.
Mr Christopher Wisdom Penu, the National Coordinator of the Ghana Youth Manifesto, acknowledged the immense financial support and technical support of a consortium of youth focused civil society organisations and international NGOs towards the Ghana Youth Manifesto for 2024 election.
The organisations include FOSDA, DANIDA, YEfL Ghana, NORSAAC, Africa Education Watch, Youth Advocate Ghana (YAG), West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), ActionAID and the Global Platform, and The Gracedlife Leadership Centre (TGLC).
GNA