The Youth of Ghana stand up and speak out

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I write this article in my capacity as a concerned citizen of Ghana, The President of Alliance for Advancement of Democracy, (AAD) and on behalf of the teaming unemployed Youth of this nation; on the Theme: The Youth of Ghana Stand up and speak out.

It is time we speak out on the numerous challenges confronting the youth and not to attach politics to our grievances by setting the record straight.

Ghana celebrated the just ended “Independence day” which officially marks the birth of Ghana, from the colonial rule which was led by the Father of the nation Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah on the 6th March, 1957.

It is really sad that the dream of this Noble man has been shut down by the greed of some politicians, who do not care and don’t want to care about the good of this nation.

Fifty-four (54) years after Independence Ghana the industrial capacity is near zero. We can not pride ourselves with one invention on the world market. It is time we stand up and speak out as future leaders particularly the youth.

When one travels across the length and breath of this country more, rural community tells it all, what life is really about, and what people are really going through.

The vegetation cover is gone. Agriculture is still hoe and cutlass, decent food for the average Ghanaian is very poor in nutrient, the road net is very, despair have taken the place of hope, a common writing desk for the teacher is not available and the health facility is in a deplorable state. The level of well being of the Ghanaian in the rural community is really appalling.No wonder there is a lot of pressure in the Capital City Accra. Even the people in Accra are going through tough times. Just as the rural community, even in the nation’s capital water is a problem, sanitation is abysmal cholerea everywhere. Power to propel industry is becoming a problem the level of unemployment is very high and indication are that there are limited opportunities since the industrial sector is seen a drastic decline over the years.

But one would ask what really are the cause of these difficulties? Does Ghanaians deserve this so called agony of pain from our politicians who are clueless and heartless? When Dr. Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah was elected the First President and Prime Minister of this great nation, the policy of Nkrumah was to better a lot of Ghanaians as the current Government is proposing “Better Ghana Agenda”, Nkrumah undertook a lot of infrastructure facilities which is benefiting us up till date among the Notable ones are the Volta River Authority which is the main source of our electricity up till date, the Tema Motorway, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and a lot of Industries to employed the teaming youth.

During Nkrumah times as a President several attempt was made to over thrown him until he was finally over thrown in 1966. He live in exilel until his death in Conakry Guinea. Since the overthrown of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana went through a difficult times, several coup was staged in the name of mismanagement of the state funds and resources, until the Famous coup d’état to overthrown Dr. Liman in 1981 led by the Former President and the Jerry John Rawlings.

President Rawlings did so much for this nation that one can not imagine even though there was scarce resources available in their disposal among the major achievement.
1. Building and equipping Regional hospitals through out the whole nation
2. Establishment of 10 Polytechnic in the entire region.
3. Personal donation of 50,000 US Dollars to begin work on the University of Development Studies (UDS)
4. Taking the country back to democracy in 1992.
5. Sharp improvement in the ICT infrastructure of the country
6. Rehabilitation of the agric sector to boost exports in the traditional and non-traditional crops
7. Massive infrastructure development at all fronts road, rail and river transport.
8. New Investment laws that saw major sectors of the economy attracting fresh investments e.g. mining
9. Financial restructuring of the banking and insurance sectors.
10. Improved the local government system

During his term as a democratic elected President, his regime was accused of corruption, hardship, high level in price of goods and services. Due to that in 1996 the major opposition party (NPP) mounted a highly recognized Demonstration with its leading members Nana A kuffo Addo, ex-president Kuffour, Jake Obatsebi Lamptey and Co. Name Kumi Preku Demonstration.

The opposition therefore campaign vigorously for positive change to relieve Ghanaians from hardship and Economic Independence of the Bretton Wood institution. In December 2000 Election, the NPP (New Patriotic Party) won election through a free and fair manner on the watch of Dr. Afari Gyan.
President Kuffour take over the affair of the country after he was sworn in as the President elected on the 7th January, 2001. Ghanaians in particular thought J.A. Kuffour is the messiah, about six months into their management of the country, Ghanaians were told to go and fill a form for employment, this raise hope for the hopeless particular among the youth. The youth thought their major problem has been addressed. Not knowing that this the beginning of their woes. Several years came there were no signs of progress for employment through the form filled earlier for job opportunity.

Through out the eight years of the NPP Administration, even though there were initiative like NHIS, School Feeding Programme, NYEP, Metro Mass Transport etc, but the questions is all this initiative were set up to give job to families, friends and cronies.

The NPP Government were doing the same mistake they were accusing the NDC Government under the leadership Jerry John Rawlings, prices of goods started raising abnormally, petrol was increase from (6,500 – 50,000) old Ghana Cedis before 2008 while civil servant were still earning very low with the minimum wage around (400,000 old Ghana Cedis). But the government appointees were earning very high wages while majority of people can not access good drinking water, electricity, education etc. but the NPP Government went ahead and bought a Jet that cause the nation the wooping sum of 37 million dollars. Money that could have been used to provide some communities portable drinking water and electricity.

Today what we are experiencing under the leadership President John Evans Mills and the NDC too is the same under the NPP Administration, yes one can say that President Mills is not corrupt free, decent and meant it well for Ghanaians, but majority of his appointees are greedy bastards as alleged by the Founder and the Former President Rawlings. It is a shame that the NDC that believe in social democracy is not presenting herself as a social democratic party but know “A grab make I grab party”. The dream of investing in the people have been shut down, there is no hope, the trust and hope for change that the youth havein this administration is totally in “Limbo”.

As young person we need to set the record straight and call a spade a spade it is not about defending some one or a political party it is about the basic necessities of life (food, clothing, power, decent employment, water, shelter) that as a nation we are still struggling to achieve. Solving the problem of this nation must be view beyond politics and must be seen as a national issue most especially the alarming rate of unemployment, youth in drug, youth in crime, prostitution, armed rubbery. It’s time we take a bold decision to stand up and speak to the hearing of the government and the policy makers without attaching politics to it.

The struggle for change in our education, health sector, roads, electricity and many others must seriously continue. If we the youth does not take the bold step to hold our government and policy makers, accountable and ensures that the major problem of unemployment is minimized, then our future is doomed our children will blame us tomorrow. The mistake, greedy and self-seeking of our today’s politician must be arrested as earlier as possible, so that our tomorrow might be brighter, its time we know that we the youth are the future leaders.
It is our Nation Ghana
It is our Youth
It is our Time
It is our Destiny
It is our Life
So join the Alliance for Advancement of Democracy and lets fight a united battle. For Ghana must be better place for all not the few in the expense of a lot.

Thank you.

God bless the Country Ghana.
God bless the Youth of Ghana.
God bless the Alliance for Advancement of Democracy
NB:To be continue