It comes as a surprise to the organising team of the Ghana Youth Forum, scheduled for the 26th of Mach 2011 in London that this initiative designed to bring Ghana’s Diasporas in the UK particularly, young people is receiving unfavourable reviews from some sections of the Ghanaian media. It is even more surprising that this programme is made to appear as a political gimmick rather than an effort by youth in the Diaspora and Government to engage effectively. In organising this programme, no effort has been spared to involve all relevant stakeholders. During the planning stages of the forum all stakeholders were given the opportunity to come on board to contribute to its success and indeed all significant stakeholders contributed to the broad principles and objectives of forum.

It is worth highlighting that, some stakeholders sort to politicise the event and therefore chose to attend the forum as observers or guest. Despite this set back, the organising team had to proceed, as the objective of the Ghana Youth Forum is greater than any one entity. The theme of the Ghana Youth Forum; Ghana’s Youth: Partners in National Development has been coined to help promote the following;

a. To help develop the consciousness and awareness of Ghanaian Youth in the UK to the political, economic and social issues in Ghana

b. Draw the attention of the state to the rich human resource base of Ghanaian Youth in the Diaspora and to explore mechanisms to encourage the reversal of “brain drain”

c. To promote government policies and projects aimed at achieving youth development and participation

d. Introduce the concept of self-advocacy to Ghanaian youth in the UK towards achieving our potential as partners in national development

e. To help raise the profile of the youth wings of the various Ghanaian political parties in the UK

f. To launch structures aimed at further dialogue between the youth groups of the various Ghanaian political persuasions in the UK

g. To celebrate and promote Ghana and its youth in her 54th anniversary year, and to create the platform for networking among Ghana’s youth in the Diaspora

h. Offer an opportunity to Ghanaian youth and the Ghanaian community in the UK to engage and interact with state functionaries including ministers, parliamentarians and civil servants

Giving these objectives, one begins to wonder why this youth forum ought to be affiliated to the benefit of a singular entity. More so, it calls for more hands on deck to support the re-birth of the voice of the Ghanaian Youth both home and abroad. For these reasons, people should not stand aside and muddy this Governmental effort to encourage the Youth to participate in political and socioeconomic development of Ghana.

It is our position that the Ghana Youth Forum is not politically biased and should not be undermined by thoughtless causes to gain selfish interest.

Signed

The Organising Team

togbegh@gmail.com

07904886202