Opinions of Tuesday, 16 February 2021

Columnist: Sir Fred

The bleed and plead of Ghanaian youth

Sir Fred, youth advocate Sir Fred, youth advocate

Adjei Frederick who is commonly known in the world advocacy as SIR FRED and described by many people as the Africa Youth mouth piece is a multi sectoral Youth Advocate from Ghana-west Africa, his youth advocacy and leadership have had many impacts on many young people in world he, have served as an ambassador for many youth organizations and NGOs and happens to be someone who doesn't keep silent on issues related to youth developments and Nation building.

He keeps on punching and commending things that may light up the inner momentum of his fellow Youths, this time around he is hardly on the *age of retirement as a government worker in Ghana and it effects on Ghanaian Youth.*

The article 199(1) of the 1992 Constitution of the 4th republic of Ghana indicates clearly that "every Government Officer who is above sixty(60) years of age must go on retirement", it is believed that at the age of sixty(60) individuals occupying such positions/spaces may be very weak and for that matter may cause dormancy on their daily activities at their respective offices, so in the right way to keep works and affairs of the government booming there should be a recruitment of smart and energetic young persons into the offices of the retired officers which is in a good shape and course with a lot witnesses.

The very aspect that is causing the oozing blood amongst Ghanaian youth is the government appointments of *60 plus years persons to be heads of states. The biggest question on the table is, are they not retired officers and still occupying government positions? What has happened to our Youth? Can't they occupy those positions and work perfectly? It is a strong headache amongst the youth in Ghana and believes that the future of our country is dying because of wrong rulings, instead of old and retired officers to sit back home and be giving guidelines to youth to rule; they rather occupy positions and offices without thinking about the warfare and future of the youth.

The Youths are bleeding in a simple manner that the old men are disintegrating and dismantling the future of Ghanaian Youth because they have no longer years to spend than to die, these old men don't feel pity about the growth and development of the youth in the country but just end up indulging in deals that doesn't call for better development to secure the future of Ghanaian Youth but yet sees youth to be future leaders.

Stop improper squandering of our monies and secure our future! Our lands and natural resources are Devine gifts to secure the future of our dear country but now has turn up to be something untouchable and manage by foreigners.

If it's believed that a teacher of sixty (60) years may be very weak and dormant on a job and must go on retirement how much more a sixty-five (65) year old head of state, is that too not a government office? Can't we groom our youth for leadership today and better future?

We are frequently bombarded, from all angles of society, with the general truth that the youths of today are leaders of tomorrow.

The use of the word “tomorrow “in any context, has a way of inducing complacency and promoting the fading of the importance of actions and decisions, made today, in shaping tomorrow.

According to well-known activists, Malcom X “the future belongs to those who
prepare for it today”. Why must the youth wait until tomorrow to lead? What about today?

When does tomorrow begin?

Let there be no misunderstanding, as often the youths are reminded that they are the leaders of tomorrow, they must also be reminded of the fact: today is the tomorrow they were waiting for yesterday.

Calling the youth leaders of tomorrow has brought about the mindset that, they are incapable of making a change today, because it is not their time. It has also caused them to sit back and criticize the government, whom they see as the leaders of today and who should be held responsible for all the present societal malfunctions. It has made them look at the problem that
we face in the community with the belief that someone else, not them, will fix it.

Being a leader tomorrow, requires a vision today, and this vision, today must be put to work for full actualization. The question still remains-if youth have not prepared themselves, sufficiently today, how can anyone say the future will be bright?

Often times when the discourse on leadership is introduced, it is easily defined using political optics. Many of our politicians have also adopted the phrase, although it is somewhat more mentally-fulfilling if said the other way around, ‘the youths are the leaders of today”.

The irony lies in the fact that the young people are overlooked in the formation, implementation, and the monitoring of exactly those key decisions that will, ultimately affect them because they are seen
as the leaders of “tomorrow” not today. However, leadership is not always political and not essentially position based, it is simply about influence and productivity.

It is an attitude of accountability and responsibility. John Quincy Adams, the 6th President of United States, once said, “if your actions inspire others to dream more and to do more you are a leader.

Enough is enough 60 years plus officers in Governance is enough, let the youth rule and have a quota in decision making process and national developments.

I MEAN NO HARM, I STAND FOR THE YOUTH AND FUTURE BETTERMENTS.