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| African Youth |
The appropriate
role of the youth in our Ghanaian society to nation building has been a subject
of controversy for some time now, as there is no clearly defined role given to
them in matters pertaining to nation building.
In
my opinion, two schools of thought have emerged in the light of these debates.
Those who doubt the readiness and capacity of the youth to nation building and
therefore take centre stage in advocating for a nation controlled by the
elderly.
The
other group is those who believe that the youth has a significant stake in nation
building, considering the number of youths in the world and therefore advocate
for a greater participation in nation building.
Indeed,
the importance or role of the youth to nation building was given an impetus,
boost or credence when President John Dramani Mahama aptly put-forward a
challenge to the youth of Ghana to be an active part in nation building .He
stated unequivocally “take ownership of this country, and join in the
authorship of its story”. He further called on the youth to leave a mark on the
blank pages of Ghana’s history in his New Year message or address to Ghanaians
on 31st December, 2012.
Equally
instructive is the comments made by former UN secretary General Kofi Annan that
“young people are key agents of development and must be at the forefront of
global change and innovation” in an interview with Joy FM on February 2, 2013.
With
Ghana’s present population estimated at a little over 24million per the 2010
population census and those between 15-35 constituting more than 50 percent of
the total population, it is understandable why there is an upsurge in the
advocacy for greater participation of the youth in nation building.
For
the purposes of this article, it is important to count all those between ages
15-35 as my definition of youth which comprises students, employees, workers,
farmers and persons from various professions including the unemployed-educated
or otherwise.
This
classification stems from the fact that the definitions of the specific age
range that constitute youth vary. This is evidenced by the fact that an
individual’s actual maturity may not correspond to their chronological age, as
immature individuals can exist at all ages.
Undoubtedly,
these people constitute a large force, they are energetic, smart, enthusiastic
and full of zeal and willing to deliver quality work on time but, unfortunately
majority of these young folks are without direction, obviously because our
nation has not made the needed efforts to align them appropriately.
Indeed,
there is no denying the fact that allowing them to remain idle without any way
of contributing to nation building has a detrimental effect on the progress of
our nation and the eventual increase in their frustration thereby leading to
youthful waywardness.
Arguably,
a large number of them are capable, devoted, dedicated and are fond of work.
Their inability to contribute to engender nation building is as a result of
their being without any worthwhile job and the reality of not given avenue to
realize the depth of their potential.
It
is definitely not good news to our nation if these energetic hands and brains
are not provided with some sort of work to meet the demands of our nation. No
nation I dare say, in the 21st century will permit such wastage and Ghana must
wake up from its slumber.
Indeed,
I recollect vividly the remarks made by my childhood friend, Chrispin Ajedipe,
a final year Petroleum Engineering student of Kwame Nkrumah University of
Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, when he shared his thoughts on the role
of the youth in nation building.
Interestingly,
he indicated that “the problem is not with the youth but with our nation, what
Ghana needs to do is to take the youth into confidence, give them a direction,
for their energy is overwhelming”, interesting remarks folks!
Equally
significant is the remarks made by Ralph Dinko, P.R.O of the International
Youth council (IYC) Ghana chapter on the role of the youth in nation building.
He indicated that “the youth should be more interested in education since
education is the fulcrum or pivot around which the whole nation revolves.”
Arguably what he sought to imply was that when the youth have access to
education they can contribute significantly to nation building.
Their
remarks undoubtedly remind me of the statement made by Pablo Picasso
(1881-1973) that “Give me a museum and I’ll fill it.” Indeed, I couldn’t agree
less with my good friends because, I am one of the few youth advocates who have
never doubted the capacity of the youth.
Let
me put on record that; Ghanaian youth have never lag behind when called to duty
or meet a challenge. It is therefore, for our national leaders to play their
part by mobilizing our energies and abilities and give us a clearly defined
direction where we can contribute to nation building.
Interestingly,
am not oblivious of what advocates and pundits of the first school of thought
(which I will call anti-youth) will say or are saying, that the youth’s
inability to contribute to nation building is as a result of youthful
waywardness or negative youthful exuberance and the youth apathetic attitude
towards nation building.
I
want to state here and now, that let there be no doubt about our strength,
power and capability to significantly contribute in changing the fortunes of
our nation and determining its destiny. Our counterparts elsewhere have changed
governments in their countries, contributed significantly to policy formulation
and direction and contributed in various ways in making the world a better
place to live. The creation of face book and twitter are cases in point.
In
the coming weeks am going to take cursory look at ways in which the youth of
Ghana can contribute to nation building. Emphasis will be made on their role in
agricultural and entrepreneurial development, conflict prevention and peace
building, environmental sustainability and the role in the promotion of
science, research and technology.
