Aggrieved members of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) of the Nabdam constituency in the Upper East Region on Thursday locked up some offices of state institutions in the constituency.
This was to protest what they said were unfulfilled promises made to them by government to employ party members under the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) programme, formally known as the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA)
[contextly_sidebar id=”dAB6dNF7zQ7NzHGREsWgJ0bwlKe46f4V”]The angry NDC members locked up the Nabdam District Assembly office, the YEA office and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) office.
Confirming the incident on Eyewitness News, the Nabdam constituency NDC Youth Organizer, Frank Tobic explained that the protest was informed by the fact that non-indigenes were being appointed by the government to head key public institutions in the district.
“Almost all the political appointments are taken outside our district and that is our problem…The youth and the people in the area are not happy with it and that accounted for that decision,” he fumed.
His argument was that districts are created to serve the interest of residents within the locality but the people in Nabdam have so far not benefited in any way.
According to him, when the Nabdam District was created, “people thought that at long last, development and employment will be created for them. Here is the case where it is rather the opposite.”
Tobic pointed that out that the youth are particularly angry because YEA was to help create employment opportunities for the youth in the area but all the jobs have been given to persons who are non from the district.
He maintained that their decision to lock up the offices was justified because “the youth within this area have had experiences where they brought people from outside who in turn employed all the workers from outside.”
“Are you saying that the people in this area are not qualified to serve? How many of our youth have been sent to other districts to serve?” he asked.
Tobic nonetheless disclosed that the offices have now been opened and he has worked to calm down tempers.
He admitted leading the angry youth who stormed the various offices but was quick to dismiss the suggestion that he was lawless.
By: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @ osamidan