On 29th July, 2021, Ghana’s Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta presented Government’s mid-year review of the 2021 budget to Parliament. Considering the fact that a section of this year’s reviewed budget focused on the youth, the Youth Bridge Foundation sets out below its observations and position.
WE,
- Applaud Government for taking the needed steps to deepen its engagement with the youth across the country. The move speaks to government’s resolve to include the expectations and aspirations of the youth in its policy formulation.
- Note with commendation the specific initiatives undertaken to advance youth development.
- Observe with regret how successive governments’ announcement of such special youth initiatives have not been sustained with a character of ad hoc or knee jerk responses to youth expectations
THEREFORE, CALL ON;
Government
- Ensure that the National Development Planning Committee (NDPC) plays a leading role in driving its youth centered economic and social development policies aligned with a national development agenda
- Ask Government to detail and communicate its specific support to the private sector including youth led enterprises to ensure that they are adequately stimulated and strengthened to drive youth development
- Take into cognizance that the youth is not a homogeneous group, Government must implement its policies and initiatives to meet the varying segments of youth i.e., level of education, geographical location, age, gender, social status, disability status among others
Young People in Ghana
- Empower themselves through continuous learning and knowledge seeking using modern technology;
- Partner and strategically network with peers to facilitate information and experience sharing as well as unleash the collective potential of Ghana Youth
- Embrace volunteerism as a cost-effective means to develop skills and gain experience.
Youth Bridge Foundation believes that Government must nurture and develop the youth with high-level of education, strong moral values, life skills, and discipline for…accelerated national development. It is only when these are done can we be sure that Ghana can take pride in a workforce that understand Ghana’s dream and work at making the dream a reality.