The National Youth Authority (NYA) has organised an orientation for the regional youth parliament to equip the youth with the needed skills and knowledge on parliamentary proceedings and other legislative instruments.
The youth parliament project was initiated by the NYA to create platforms through which the youth can contribute to debates at the district, regional and national levels on decisions that affects them.
It was on the theme: ‘Enhancing youth participation in democratic processes’.
Addressing the participants, Anthony Baah, the acting Western Regional Director of NYA, said the age groups were the engine of national development as well as the hope and aspirations for the future of the country and admonished them to cooperate with leadership to ensure the accelerated growth and development of the society.
Gilbert Asmah, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Tarkwa Nsuaem, reminded the youth that as agents of change in their communities, they should support and assist in the formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of government policies and programmes.
He implored the youth to serve as mediators between the government and the youth on issues of development, national cohesion, peace and unity in communities and advised them to eschew all forms of social vices such as drug abuse, prostitution, unwarranted demonstrations and destruction of properties that had adverse effects on the growth of the economy.
Mumuni Sulemana, the Director in charge of
programmes and operations at the National Youth Entrepreneurial Programme,
noted that the youth parliament was an advocacy platform to bring change to the
society, but not a witch-hunting platform.
“The youth will be given all the support to
be able to engage who ever that matters in a particular sector to understand
and provide information for them to also make available for the numerous
voiceless young people that they may be representing in the house,” he
said.
Nana Nteboah Prah IV, the Divisional Chief of Prestea-Himan, cautioned the youth to be law abiding, role models and be good citizens as they are the future leaders. -gna.org