By Emmanuel Nyatsikor, GNA
Ho, March 07 GNA – Mr Christopher Penu, the National Co-ordinator of Ghana Youth Manifesto, Thursday, reminded the youth that they would be respected not for what they have but depth of their resourcefulness.
“This is because what you carry determines what you deliver,” he said.
Mr. Penu stated this when he presented a paper on the topic “Coalition Building and Movement Strengthening” at a workshop organised by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Gnana).
The 45 participants of the workshop were from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) from the Southern Sector who are partners of the I Am Aware Programme.
The programne is a non-partisan citizens’ empowerment campaign led by the CDD-Ghana.
The two-day programme was on the theme: “Turning Evidence into Influence.”
Mr Penu noted that if 20 percent of the youth were politically conscious, the country would not be the same.
He intimated that politicians were using the ignorance of the youth against them, adding “ignorance is expensive.”
The Co-ordinator stated that sovereignty rested in the people of the country and that every state Agency and institution was accountable to every Ghanaian.
“Every state institution including the Presidency, Parliament, and the Judiciary are accountable to us,” he said.
Mr Penu noted that because of ignorance the citizens stood aloof whilst their rights were being infringed upon by people who we collectively gave part of our sovereignty to lead us.
He stated that corruption was taking a larger share of the country’s resources which could have been channeled into creating jobs of the youth and improving the standard of living of the citizenry.
Mr Penu urged the youth to refrain from only complaining about the problems facing the country and rather rose with one voice and “bring and amplify solutions to them.”
He stated that this could only be done through consensus building and movement strengthening.
He gave an assurance that they would continue to provide technical support and advice to help make life meaningful to the youth.
The Ghana Youth Manifesto is a pivotal document that consolidates the aspirations, demands and policy recommendations if every young Ghanaian.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Benjamin Mensah