The STAR Ghana Foundation as part of its Convening, Coordinating, Catalysing and Learning roles has in collaboration with its grant partner, the Youth Empowerment for Life (YEfL) based in the Northern region of Ghana, facilitated an engagement between the Youth of Ghana and the Speaker of Ghana's 7th Parliament under the 4th Republic, Rt.Hon. Professor Michael Aaron Oquaye. The meeting took place in the Speaker's Chamber of the Parliament House on 28th February 2019. The Clerk to Parliament, Mr Emmanuel Anyimadu, and senior officers of Parliament were in attendance with the Speaker of Parliament as the host.
The delegation were led by the Acting Chief Executive of the STAR Ghana Foundation, Mr Ibrahim Tanko Amidu, and accompanied by Ms. Teiko Sabah, the Head of Programmes, Ms. Marian Angela Kyei, Parliamentary Support Manager and other members of the Secretariat. There were twenty-five (25) youth representatives from the Youth Parliaments and Community Journalists of Sagnarigu, Yendi, Saboba, Nanumba North and South respectively all in the Northern Region. Also present were ten (10) youth representatives and their Team leaders from the National Youth Authority (NYA) and the Youth Sub-platform of the Ghana CSO’s platform on SDGs.
Mr Amidu, in his opening remarks stated that the objective of the Foundation in providing support for the Youth Parliament and other youth initiatives was to increase the participation of women and general inclusiveness of young people; especially females and Persons with Disability (PWDs) in governance and decision-making processes. He advocated the creation of spaces for the youth to engage duty bearers at all levels, as well as policy makers as a way of encouraging this vibrant economic resource (youth) to participate more constructively in the governance and development of this nation.
He further recommended a structured mentoring programme that will enable the youth to prepare themselves for future office through the engagements with seasoned leaders in their constituencies or districts as well as at the national level. He referenced the Speaker’s Inaugural speech that reiterated the position of H.E the President of Ghana that:
“by investing in the youth, we are investing in our collective future, by not investing in the youth, we are investing in our collective future failure”
The Speaker of the Saboba District Youth Parliament, Jeremiah Kasalku Takal, as the lead speaker of the Youth Parliamentarians and Youth advocates, shared the successes of the Youth Parliament in the areas of sanitation, education and health. He appealed to Parliament as a legislative body to prioritize the passage of the Legislative Instrument to give effect to the National Youth Authority Act, Ghana (Act 939) 2016. He further appealed to Parliament to consider legislation that would enable the youth to participate more fruitfully at the District Assembly level through the provision of specific quota for youth appointments. On behalf of the Youth of Ghana, Mr Takal presented a Communique to the Speaker of Parliament on the concerns of youth in the country.
The National Youth Authority, represented by Mr. Mumuni Sulemana, Director of Programmes and Operations indicated that the Authority was prepared to collaborate with STAR Ghana Foundation and other partners to replicate the Youth Parliament model across the country as envisaged under the National Youth Authority Act. He mentioned that the Authority would soon organise a "State of the Youth" Address to provide an opportunity for young people to publicly engage policymakers and duty bearers on key issues of concern to the youth. He acknowledged that the youth was also seeking ways to provide alternatives to their dire situation which has become an issue of concern to the entire nation.
Mr. Emmanuel Ametepey, the leader of the Youth Sub-Platform on the SDGs in Ghana team, used the opportunity to introduce the CSO platform on the SDGs to the Right Honourable Speaker of Parliament. He indicated the Youth Platform’s commitment to mobilising young people across Ghana towards the SDGs and congratulated STAR Ghana Foundation for supporting the Youth Parliament initiative, as well as the open door policy of Parliament that had made it possible for the current Youth Advocates’ engagement at the highest level of Ghana’s legislature.
In his presentation, the Honourable Speaker welcomed the participation of women in the youth Parliament system and admonished that women are given the voice they deserve on national issues. He encouraged the youth to invest heavily in building their capacity through reading, research and imbibing a range of information that will serve them well as future leaders both formally and informally, to be able to participate meaningfully in governance processes. He noted:
“I will want to say from the beginning, first and foremost, the Youth must prepare for the future… then when you attain certain positions, you are able to participate meaningfully”.
The Speaker, Professor Mike Oquaye also charged the youth not to focus only on governance issues but matters concerning women and children as well as other vulnerable people within the society. He urged the youth to channel their energies to productive activities, which will make them more relevant and beneficial to their communities.
