PNC bemoans lack of youth dev't

Dr Edward Mahama is the Presidential candidate of the People's National Convention in Ghana


By William Yaw Owusu

Thursday October 9, 2008
THE People’s National Convention (PNC) has bemoaned the rate at which some political parties and leaders are taking advantage over what it calls “the vulnerability of the youth to exploit them”.

“It is rumoured that some political parties are buying arms for their trouble from which they stand to benefit. As to how true this is, I cannot say with certainty but nonetheless, it exposes the extent to which our youth have been reduced to objects of destruction when indeed, they should be the agents of development”.

Atik Mohammed, Youth Coordinator of the PNC Campaign said this at a news conference in Accra yesterday./

The news conference was aimed at soliciting the support of the youth particularly students for the PNC campaign led by its flag-bearer Dr Edward N. Mahama.

Mr Mohammed said “there is no denying fact that, in many of the conflicts with political overtones, it is always the youth who are used to forment the troubles and consequently are those who suffer more the brunt of these conflicts”.

He said currently, students throughout the country, face various problems which sometimes offended smooth studies saying “paramount among these is the fact that increasingly, education in our tertiary institutions which ought to be a right is gravitating towards becoming a privilege”.

Mr Mohammed further said that the National Youth Employment Programme introduced by the ruling New Patriotic Party government “cannot answer in definite terms the unemployment challenge in the country”.

He said the NYEP lacks what he called “the basics of a proper job namely: security of job, structured salary scheme and the jobs do not in any way contribute to increased productivity”.

“This programme could best be described as a desperate measure to respond to the growing cry over youth unemployment in the country by the NPP”.

He further bemoaned graduate unemployment saying “students who move often than less are refereed to us the future leaders of this country, suffer some humiliating challenges in their bid to make a living”.

The PNC youth coordinator said when they form the next government, the PNC will introduce a comprehensive guideline as reflected in their manifesto to ensure the accelerated development of the youth.

On the ‘Nkrumahism’, the ideologies of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s First President, the PNC youth coordinator said “Dr Mahama is the only presidential candidate who posses the qualities of the Osagyefo”.

He said “I can tell you with authority that Dr Mahama is only true Nkrumahist in this year’s Presidential contest”.

He urged the electorate support the PNC for a resounding victory in the December poll saying “from CPP under Osagyefo to PNP and PNC under Dr Hilla Limann and to Dr Mahama, at no point did we offend the peace and tranquility of this our beloved country”.