Parliament ratifies African Youth Charter

Members of Parliament have reiterated the need for the implementation of the National Youth Policy in order to harness the full potential in the Ghanaian youth.
 
They expressed concerns about challenges facing the youth in Sub-Saharan African and the need for concerted effort in dealing with their problems.
 
The concern was expressed after the Chairman on Committee on Youth, Sports and Culture, Mr. Stephen Ackah moved the motion for approval of the African Youth Charter.
 
The Charter which was presented, considered and adopted at the 7th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the AU in Banjul, Gambia, have been ratified by 38 out of 58 Member State countries. 

The Charter aims at providing framework for youth development in the continent.

Mr. Ackah said the youth charter emphasises on the basic rights, right of development, privacy, protection of family and property, freedom of movement and expression, freedom from discrimination based on race, sex, religion, and status.
 
According to Mr. Ackah, the ratification will ensure the commitment of Member States to development of the youth and also guarantee adequate and effective participation of youth in running decision-making institutions.
 
He said the Charter has pegged the definition of youth between 15 and 35 years while the age limit for presidency in Ghana is 35 years for which the Constitutional Review Committee have notified to review in the constitution.
 
The Charter provides for encouragement of the youth to actively participate in the democratic process.
 
He said, in ratifying the Charter, African countries will increase commitment of Government towards making resource available to public institutions in the promotion of youth activities.
 
The Committee Chairman urged the Ministry of Youth and Sports and its agencies to ensure that the Charter is fully implemented.
 
In seconding the motion, the Ranking Member for the Committee on Youth, Sports and Culture, Mr. Isaac Asiamah, called for full implementation of the national youth policy, saying “the foundation of our nation depends on the youth and everything has to be done to deal with the myriad of problems facing them”.
 
He entreated political office holders to ensure that they use their position to promote the activities of the youth rather than using them to incite violence, tribal disturbances and political crisis.
 
He advised politicians to create a platform in educating them to use their energies for national development.
 
The Member of Parliament for Jomoro, Samia Yaba Nkrumah, called on African governments to initiate policies that will create jobs for the youth to curb social menace in the society.
 
She said the youth is the bedrock of the country and there is the need to prepare them for the future.

ISD