By Dennis Peprah, GNA
Sunyani (Bono), Feb. 23, GNA -The Right Reverend Dr Festus Yeboah Asuamah, the Anglican Bishop of the Sunyani Diocese has called on the government to create sustainable, long-term job opportunities to mitigate threats associated the growing unemployment rates in the country.
He expressed the worry that the high youth unemployment rate, with over 1.3 million young people between 15 and 24 years out of work of education, represented a significant national security threat.
Rt Rev. Asuamah noted that the rising unemployment rate could potentially fuel crime, political violence, and radicalism.
“The from lack of job opportunities increases the risk of criminal activities, armed robbery and social instability,” the Anglican Bishop stated, when he addressed the opening session of the sixth synod of the church in Sunyani.
Rt Rev. Asuamah cited that recent high turnout queues at the security services recruitments highlight the desperation among job seekers, as seen at the El-Wak stadium, calling for policy national shift, prioritising vocational and technical training.
The day’s synod was on the theme: “Taking up the mantle for mission”, an inspiration picked from 2 Kings 2:13-14, as the synod plans Rt Rev. Asuamah’s succession plan, ahead of his retirement from active ministry.
Rt Rev. Asuamah regretted that despite the growing unemployment, the country still faced significant entrenched corruption like systemic bribery in the public sector and high level of political corruption.
He boamoned that acts of corruption robbed the country of valuable resources required for progressive growth and sustainable provision of basic services needed to improve the lives of the people.
“When public funds are misused, it’s our schools, hospitals, roads, and infrastructure that suffer,” he stated, and called on Ghanaians to be actively involved in fighting corruption.
Rt Rev. Asuamah said: “While the government needs tore-strategise and confront corruption head-on, ordinary Ghanaians should also get directly involved.”
The Anglican Priest also hammered on the adverse effects and impact of illegal mining, worrying that the menace continued to persist in the country, with significant environmental, social, health and economic challenges.
Rt Rev. Asuamah stressed that the unregulated, destructive and often foreign-backed extraction of gold had severe and devastating consequences on the nation’s development, manifesting in destruction of water bodies, massive deforestation, pollution of agricultural land and significant health risk in local communities.
He emphasised that the fight against illegal mining required stronger political will “as some reports suggest the involvement of power individuals”.
The fight must go beyond mere enforcement to addressing the root causes of the crisis, and the government must be proactive by using advanced technologies-driven approaches to track perpetrators,” Rt Rev. Asuamah urged.
GNA