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Today, the National Youth wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) joins the United Nations (UN) to mark the International Youth Day — a celebration of the exploits and contribution of young people across the world in creating sustainable impact — under the theme “Transforming Food Systems – Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health”.

We acknowledge the difficulties that confront the Ghanaian youth, especially those who lost their livelihoods at the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated economic and social troubles. Admittedly, the pandemic has eroded some gains made by the government; however, evidence abound, as acknowledged by the IMF and World Bank, that the competence management of the pandemic coupled with prudent economic management and the implementation of well thought through policies like Planting for Food and Jobs have not only help save more lives and livelihoods but have also enhanced food security in that the disruption of global trade didn’t cause food shortage in Ghana.

There are signs that the economy of Ghana is recovering at a faster pace and government is taking steps to consolidate the support systems for the youth and more practically, empowered them to manifest their innovation prowess and contribute to not just the Food sub-sector but the economy as a whole.

Aside casualties, unemployment remains the worse concomitant crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic across the globe, Ghana having its fair share. That notwithstanding, we have seen concrete plans by the government of President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Alhaji Dr. Bawumia to accelerate sustainable job creation, enhance youth entrepreneurial drive and promote shared prosperity.

The objective of the government to create one million jobs within the next 2-3 years has seen a big push with the financial clearance given by the Ministry of Finance for the recruitment of over eleven thousand (11,000) people into the security services and ICT persons into Ghana Education Service (GES).

We would want to encourage the Ghanaian youth to remain steadfast in their support and prayers for the NPP government as, collectively, we strive to win the fight against the pandemic and get the economy back to the higher pedestal it was pre-COVID-19.

The government of President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Alhaji Dr. Bawumia has the track record and can be trusted any day. We inherited an ailing economy saddled with debt, tight fiscal space, poor growth, high inflation rate, high interest rate and massive unemployment. We transformed it to create over 3 million jobs in 4 years at the back of improved macroeconomic indicators — low inflation rate, low interest rate, stable forex rate, high growth rate etc.

This is a testament to the competence of the government to undo a significant part of the COVID-19 catastrophe in the economy in a short time.

Thank you

Signed

Henry Nana Boakye Esq
(National Youth Organizer, NPP)