Ho, July 4, GNA - Speakers at a Republic Day lecture in Ho on Monday called for positive mental orientation among Ghanaians to incline them towards self-belief in tackling the challenges of national development. That project must focus on the youth to prepare them to rise above inertia and frustration and see in the country's current situation a challenge to make positive differences to what had been the case. The lecture on the topic, "Ghana at 50, where have we come from, where are we now and where are we going as a nation", was organized by the Students Representative Council (SRC) of the Ho Polytechnic to mark the country's 47 Republic Day and the SRC Week.

Mr Simon Amegashie-Viglo, a former Vice-Principal of the Polytechnic, said, "in our collective resolve to confront the challenges facing us, we should avoid inaction, indifference and silencing of the voice of justice".

Mr Amegashie-Viglo, who delved into the political history of the country since independence, said the country needed a fresh generation of people with the drive and innovation to transform Ghana into the political and industrial giant envisaged at independence. "We need people of excellence, people with drive, energy, vision, enterprise, initiative and creativity who see today's difficulties as opportunities for growth", Mr Amegashie-Viglo said. He said the country should place premium on its human capital development, its sustainable utilization and application of knowledge for national development.

Mr Amegashie-Viglo said the country must develop a political culture of resistance against tendencies that could undermine political stability, derail economic progress and acquiescence to corruption at all levels and alienation.

Mr Divine Norvieto, a lecturer of the Polytechnic, told the students to develop the culture of critical thinking and confront challenges with a resolve to succeed.

He said it was useful that young people know that there was the need for change, must discover the potentials for success and to understand that achievement was a process and not a single accomplishment. "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams", he said.

Mr Simon Kofi Agboga, a lecturer who presided, urged students of the polytechnic to take keen interest in such extra-curricula activities to know and understand issues that shape their lives.

He said as people being trained to assume leadership and play important roles in shaping the direction in which society must go they ought to develop inquisitive and critical minds and be interested in every event around them.

Mr Agbenyefia Agrah-Kwatek, the SRC President, said there were several lessons that young people especially tertiary students must learn about the country's history and how they have shaped the present. He said knowledge of the sacrifices others have made as well as their motivations and mistakes were useful lessons to be learnt by the present generation to shape their role in nation building. 04 July 07