The former northern regional director of the National Population Council, Zangbalun Bagzaa Naa, Alhassan Isshaku Amadu has predicted that by the year 2020, about 80% of Ghanaian youth will be employed in the private sector.
The chief is therefore urging young people to position themselves by acquiring skills that will be attractive to employers. He also challenged the youth to either make good use of their time or misuse their time and regret in future.
Chief Amadu who lectures at the University for Development Studies Medical School reiterated his strong opposition against young who prefer to while away time sitting in political party pavilions, and charged them to use their conscience by putting an end to that practise.
He bemoaned two “bad” habits prevalent among the youth; wee smoking and reckless joyriding of motorbikes which frequently results in road accidents.
Speaking on the topic: “Youth Health Is Prerequisite for Agro-Business Promotion; Challenges for Youth Wealth Creation at the Celebration of International Youth Day,” Chief Amadu reminded the youth that they cannot eat two sweet things at the same time because sex is sweet as well as education and the youth must choose one.
“You either choose education for your future or engage in indiscriminate sexual activities and prepare for the consequences,” he warned.
The youth, he said, must acquire employable skills because nothing exists on emptiness. According to the outspoken traditional ruler, about 62% of women are illiterates, twice the number of their male counterparts in the northern region. The result is what he called serial monogamy, marry and divorce.
A large number of girls found themselves in trouble during pregnancy because of promiscuity and urged them to abstain from sexual activities for their own future.
In addition, he stressed that parental responsibility and health care are key in bringing up responsible children, explaining that many parents have reneged on their responsibilities.
He also called for the youth to be educated on what he called calculated or moderate risk taking which is key in entrepreneurship, pointing out that many small scale business operators in the northern region have no business plans which is one of the main causes of failures in the system.
The event was organized by the Northern Regional National Youth Authority (NYA) with support from UNFPA and Action-Aid Ghana. He encouraged the youth to create the right environment to empower themselves rather than waiting for government to employ them.
The young people, Chief Amadu noted, are potential future leaders and not future leaders as many have said. “Your good behavior will determine whether you will be a leader or not.”
He said many UN agencies are in the north because they want to address the problems facing people, and residents must realize that and act accordingly.
Action-Aid Ghana programs manager, Mrs Esther Boateng commended district assemblies for establishing child health centers and assured her outfit continued commitment to supporting young people, particularly girls. “The organization is committed in developing young people,” she added.
Mr Dama Salifu who stood in for the northern regional minister, reminded the youth that teenage pregnancy is still high in most districts, and sexually active youth must tread carefully. He advised young people especially girls to be wary of the kind of sexual activities they engage in.