Opinions of Saturday, 19 February 2011

Columnist: Lamptey, Alfred

2011 "The Year Of Action"

THE ROLE OF THE YOUTH IN NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

Youth have some responsibility towards this country. Ghana has majority of its population to be youth and so the youth have responsibility towards the development of the country, if there will be sustainable development then the youth must be a key figure. We need to learn from yesterday and live with hope for a better tomorrow, if the country had made use of the youth some years ago, the country would have been better than what we are seeing now.

The youth of today is the driving force of tomorrow, they have some responsibility towards this country, which it must be acknowledge and practice. The youth of the country hope the good for this country, this hope and aspirations include: a country free of poverty, unemployment, inequality and exploitation of man by man, a country free of discrimination on the grounds of race, color, language and gender, a country full of creative challenges and opportunities to conquer them. If any section of the society in this country is most important for change, it is the young people (the youth).

Patriotism comes naturally to young people, but they also respond early to the call of Internationalism. When the youth of the country are not given the available skills, education and support they need in the country they tend to internationalism. That is, they try to live with the outside world instead of concentrating on the development of this country. Instead of this country blaming the system of youth participation in development, the country should rather allow the youth to come together and mould the nation for a better tomorrow.

Role of Youth of the youth in Ghana includes: The youth plays a vital role in the implementation of elimination of inequalities. If the energy, intelligence and resources of youth are fully and properly utilized this country will prosper. The youth also compete with sporting spirit. Just look at the spirit of Internationalism that today prevails in the football world. With the start of any football tournament, no matters which team wins, football wins, Youthfulness will win. The spirit of oneness will win and the country will win.

Also the youth aspire for entrepreneurship rather than conventional employment. These actions and aspiration by the youth leads to the development of the country since entrepreneurs make up for the deprivation and the poor background of the poor and by so doing it leads to development.

Young people of this country have the energy to try out things and the patience to learn from mistakes. Giving them opportunities to plan, to decide and to work prepares them to face harsher realities in life. The hopes of young people can be fulfilled only in conditions of peace, only in a civilized and cooperative country order. Young people are full of vibrant ideas, when properly motivated and sufficiently guided they will succeed in their lives, these things can also be ensured when the government takes a very good attention towards the activities of the youth. Young participation is important in this country because the youth are the country's power; the youth recognizes the problems of this country and mostly solve those that are within their powers. The youth are strong forces in social movements.

Again the vision of the youth in this country is: the youth hopes that Instead of brain drain that affects this country, they believe they are magnets for bright minds of the country.

The government and other public institutions as well as non governmental institutions should come to the aid of the youth and ensure that they bring out the best in them. Thank the government for what he has been doing for the youth but more need to be done.

Lamptey Alfred

Knust

Alfredlamptey88@yahoo.com