Ho, Nov.30, GNA - Youth coordinators from various youth groups within the Volta Region on Tuesday accepted a draft Charter to serve as a strong voice for the youth in the country. The Charter, known as the "Draft Ghana Youth Charter" would operate in line with the National Youth Policy (NYP) to ensure effective delivery of its vision and commitment.

It is an advocacy stock to enable the Ghanaian youth to delineate challenges facing them, mindful of their rights, responsibilities and accountabilities towards their empowerment in the national development agenda.

The Charter is being supported with funding from the National Governance Programme (NGP) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Mr. Bright Kweku Appiah, Secretary General of the National Youth Platform said the Charter would speed up the process to give recognition to the youth as a force to be reckoned with for economic progress. He deplored the delay in the passage of the youth policy due to misplaced priorities among the youth front adding "If the youth define their place, their place will also be defined."

Mr. Appiah said at both the local and international levels the country had no document that specifically addressed youth programmes. He was optimistic that the Charter, to be owned by the youth would create a strong voice for the youth to effectively participate in national issues and demand implementation of the provisions in the Charter for national development.