General News of Thursday, 17 August 2017

Source: starrfmonline.com

Youth group tells Akufo-Addo to up his game

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

A youth group, Dynamic Youth Movement of Ghana, has asked the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his government to up their game in turning the country’s economy around for the betterment of its youth.

The group said it has observed that there are issues affecting the economic well-being of the people, including education, job creation, corruption and general insecurity, which it said if not addressed, could “threaten the peace in the country.

It claimed that the economic conditions of the people keep deteriorating, indicating in the last eight months transport fares have gone up just as petroleum prices have, prices of food items have also shot up to the extent that even one piece of tomato now sells at GHC1.

“Electricity bills are still the same, Bank of Ghana says interest rates have reduced but cost of borrowing is still high at commercial rate of between 28 to 32 per cent and the private sector is suffering”.

The group said this at a news conference Tuesday to commemorate International Youth Day.

“We the Youth of Ghana have a voice. The voice, just like two edged sword, will commend where necessary and reprimand where mandatory. We are the future leaders, however, our tomorrow is today,” Convener Edward Tuttor said.

He said it was unfortunate that in the face of unemployment in the country, those already in employment are being sacked from the public sector while trained nurses are begging to be employed.

On the educational front, the group expressed disappointment over the recent fee increment by tertiary institutions, which it said: “is making parents go crazy.”

The group said it was not happy about the slashing of the number of people to be admitted into the various public and private nursing training schools. “Is Government implying it is reducing nursing trainee admissions because there is no money to pay nursing trainee allowances? Why didn’t the President reduce the number of 110 Ministers to save the public purse too? It said the salary of one minister for a year can pay the allowances of over 300 nursing trainees, adding that the hearts of the Youth of Ghana are bleeding with pain and disappointment.