Wa, July 4, GNA - Mr George Hikah Benson, Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, has appealed to African Youth Alliance (AYA) and United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) to extend their youth training programmes to all the districts of the country.

He said their pilot programmes in the 20 districts throughout the country had proved worthy and, therefore, their replication in other districts would not only make the youth assertive in society but would also encourage them to learn about their colleagues in other districts. Mr Benson made this appeal at Wa during a mock assembly meeting organised by the National Youth Council and sponsored by AYA and UNFPA for students from the Wa Municipality.

The students debated on issues concerning HIV/AIDS; environmental degradation; water and sanitation and educational challenges facing the youth.

The Deputy Minister said their performance was a clear-cut demonstration that a little support could empower them to become responsible adults in the future. He said the Government would create a fertile ground for more non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to operate for the benefit of the people.

Mr Paa Evans-Inkoom, National Co-ordinator of AYA, said mock assembly afforded the youth the opportunity to bring out issues that posed as challenges to their growth and development. He said apart from making the youth confident, the programme was also meant to allow them to take up leadership roles that could propel them to become good future leaders.

The children among other things called on the Government to come out with one policy that could help to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country.

According to them, while some health workers were preaching condom use, others mostly religious bodies were also preaching abstinence thereby confusing the youth.

The programme attracted students from junior secondary and senior secondary schools; representatives of non-governmental organisation and Heads of decentralised Government Departments in the Municipality. 04 July 05