Civil Society Organizations interested in youth development have raised alarm over the nation’s soaring youth unemployment.
They expect government to address the problem as means of averting youth uprising as the nation prepares for the November 7 general elections.
They have also challenged government to augment CSOs projects rolled out to empower the youth to be responsible citizens.
This concern was captured in a study report on the National Youth Policy launched by the Centre for Active Learning and Integrated Development (CALID), a Non Governmental Organization.
The CSOs condemned some politicians for exploiting majority of the unemployed youth and abandoning them after achieving their political ambitions.
Representatives of some youth groups warned that the problem of youth employment if unresolved could intensify youth indiscipline.
Yakubu Alhassan from the Sagnarigu Ataaya Base attributed the spate of Armed Robbery and gruesome murder of the wealthy in society to the situation.
Some of the participants decried political discrimination during recruitment into the various models of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA).
The Consultant, Dr Abubakari Abdulai explained that the report focused on four thematic areas.
According to him, the report focused on establishing the extent of youth awareness or exposure to government youth policies and other pro-poor policies, determining the current level of engagement of the youth with state institutions that have oversight responsibility over them, especially YEA, the role of the National Youth Authority (NYA) , the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assembly’s and a determination of the capacity of YEA, NYA and RCC to implement youth policies and review the national youth policies and programs.
The CSOs recommended that managers of the YEA should concentrate on resourcing the beneficiaries to be self dependent at the end of the contract.
Northern Regional Director of the NYA, Ziblim Shaibu said his administration is dormant because of inadequate resources.
He however assured the youth that the NYA will deliver its mandate with the necessary support.
Ziblim Shaibu reminded youth groups in the region to register with the authority.
Northern Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Alhaji Abdul Razak Saani condemned the politicization of all social issues.
He also cautioned the youth against over dependence on politicians for survival.
Executive Director of CALID, Mohammed Awal Bapio said government should consider youth unemployment as a national security threat.
He implored government to address the problem as means of combating social vices such as Armed Robbery, prostitution and political violence.
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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/Citifmonline.com/Ghana