The Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, Yohane Amarh Ashitey, has said that former President John Dramani Mahama’s promise to set up a dedicated Ministry of Youth Development shows that he lacks fresh ideas.

In an interview with journalists on the sidelines of Tema Kpledzoo Festival over the weekend, Amarh Ashitey said that the promise shows that the former president, who did not implement the same idea when he was in office, is chasing his own tail in desperation.

“One may ask, what do you think that a dedicated Ministry for the YHouth will do differently from what the Ministry of Youth and Sports is already doing? What policies will that dedicated ministry be implementing that the current Ministry of Youth and Sports is not implementing?” he asked.

Amarh Ashitey added that, “It is not about building ministries; it's all about the policies, so what we want to hear from Mr. John Mahama are the policies he will implement.”

According to the MCE, this promise, “is just a fanciful one that really will bring nothing but inflict more cost on the coffers of State because the administration of a separate ministry implies as a matter of cost.”

John Dramani Mahama made the promise while addressing an audience at Wisconsin University in Accra.

But reacting to this, the Tema MCE wondered whether the Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress was aware that already, Ghana has agencies under the Ministry of Youth and Sports that concentrate on youth matters.

“Has Mr. Mahama heard of the National Youth Council?” he asked, adding, “Is there anything that the new youth ministry will do that the NYC is not already doing?”

The MCE accused the former president of being whimsical and shallow with his policy proposals, saying that the former president seems to be desperately out of ideas.

He also said the former president cannot be trusted with his promises because in the past, when he was entrusted with the country, what he did with youth policy was horrible.

“GYEEDA had been set up to tackle the issue of employment among the youth but when Mahama became president, the only thing that GYEEDA became known for is corruption.

“When Mahama was president, there was GYEEDA, there was the National Youth Employment and the NYC. What did he do with them? GYEEDA only got embroiled in corruption,” the MCE said.

Some market women, fishermen, fishmongers, taxi, and 'trotro' drivers were full of praise for Yohane Armah Ashitey for what they say is his good deeds as their MCE, even in such a short time.

Nene Ofoe Teyechu Agbadiagba IV, a manager at GPHA and the Tema East NPP Chairman, who was also present at the Kpeledzoo durbar grounds, on his part, said “Look at the artistic and stylistic manner in which Yohane Amarh Ashitey and Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover, the Regional Minister, on separate occasions danced with the many Kpeledzoo youth to the admiration of ministers of state, MPs, traditional rulers, political party executives, and captains of industry! What a massive support for Yohane Amarh Ashitey! Our next MP, MP for Tema East, Hon. Isaac Ashai Odamtten, MP for Kpone Katamanso, Hon. Joseph Akuerteh Tettey, Emmanuel Nii Ashie Moore, Chairman of Greater Accra NDC, Miss Ebi Bright, NDC PC for Tema Central and Lawyer James Enu, NDC PC for Tema West."

Some of the dignitaries who attended this year’s Tema Kpeledzoo festival include the Minister of the Interior, Henry Quartey, MMDCEs and assembly members.