Take advantage of social interventions – Youth advised

The youth have been advised to take advantage of the government’s
flagship programmes and interventions to create jobs, improve on their
livelihoods and attract investment to communities.

They include the Planting for Food and Jobs,
and Planting for Export and Rural Development programmes to enable them to diversify their sources of income rather than relying on one source of livelihood.

The government was implementing the programmes to create employment opportunities for the youth to utilise their youthful exuberance into
activities towards personal and societal growth and development so as to
refrain from social vices that were inimical to their growth and development.

Edward Larbiri
Sabo, the Wa West District Chief Executive, gave the admonition at a youth
forum at Wechiau in the Upper West Region organised by  the National Youth
Authority (NYA) in collaboration with Plan Ghana in
implementation of ‘Youth Participate and Lead’ project on the theme:
‘Creating an enabling environment for effective participation of the youth in
decision making process at all levels.’

He bemoaned the situation where the youth
are interested in fomenting trouble in communities and disrespecting authorities,
especially, traditional authorities who are to ensure peace prevails in their areas.

He warned young girls to stay away from men who could mar
their future prospects and to concentrate on their education to enable them
to secure a brighter future for themselves and be role models.

Mr Kamaldeen Yazeed,
the District Development Coordinator for Plan Ghana, noted that Plan Ghana had
been working in the Wa West District over a decade advocating for rights of
children, and had identified dire need to develop leadership skills of
the youth for the future.

“That informed our decision to partner with NYA to
bring the youth together to discuss issues affecting their lives, which will
inform stakeholders in their decision making processes,” he said.

Naa Sohimwininye
Danaa Gori II, the Paramount Chief of the Dorimon traditional area, observed that the
youth were regarded as the future leaders of the country but wondered whether
they were prepared to take over the mantle of leadership.

Mr Archibald Donkor,
the Acting Upper West Regional Director of NYA, called for concerted efforts
and collaboration between stakeholders to enable them to eradicate social vices
such as child marriage, teenage pregnancy and substance abuse among the youth so as to grow and develop into responsible adults. -GNA