Bolgatanga, Aug. 8, GNA - Mr Joseph Kofi Adda, Minister of Manpower, Youth and Employment, said on Monday that Government would soon announce a major National Youth Employment Programme, aimed at providing opportunities for skills development.

"In order to sustain the programme, a Presidential Employment Summit will be held before the end of the year to formulate a practical action-based target, a defined National Employment Policy and Strategy," he said.

It would be a concrete programme to deliver jobs through private and public sector constituents or clients of the ministries, departments and agencies as well as the Local Government System, notably, the assemblies.

Mr Adda was speaking when he opened a five-day conference organised by the International Youth Day and Youth employment Forum, a non-governmental organisation on the theme: "Young People, Making Commitment Matter," in Bolgatanga, in the Upper East Region". He said Youth employment was being tackled seriously and Government was encouraging initiatives that would enhance employment opportunities under the country's sustained economic growth.

"The Government will remain committed to this goal of creating opportunities for the youth in the hope and prayer that they will remain committed to a value system that would make them successful citizens to keep our nation's flag and pride high," he said.

Mr Adda urged the youth to abide by the values of dedication, discipline, hard work and perseverance in whatever field of endeavour they were pursuing in order to achieve their desired goals. He said these virtues would facilitate Government's agenda for human resource development for national progress.

Mr Boniface Gambila, Regional Minister, said the Region was preparing to embark on a programme to engage the youth in agriculture by using the water resources of the Red and White Volta. Mr Robert Ajene, a retired Educationist advised the youth to shun foreign influences, which often corrupted their moral values and rather pursue education to enable them to become useful citizens. Mr Joe Mantey, National Coordinator of the National Youth Council, said the aim of the Council was to see to the holistic empowerment of the youth.

He said the conference would offer the participants the opportunity to learn the values needed to prepare them for national development. The participants would be exposed to topics like: " The Youth Employment Situation In Ghana-Policy Options, "The Millennium Development Goals", the United Nations Youth Charter and the "Ghana Youth Charter.